The Great Crossover War
by Cole Tyger
Summary: what happens when an outsider uses the unleashing of the Silver Eyes Power as the opening to to go in and copy/collect a bunch of the RWBY cast, to recruit them into helping fight a long going Crossover battle? Read on to find out. Contains material from things ranging from Various movies, web comics, video games, regular comics, and anime, as well as a healthy dose of OC stuff.
1. Chapter 1 Arrival

RWBY joins the crossover war

"PYRRAH!" Ruby Rose screams as she witnesses the death and disintegration of her friend at the hands of Cinder Fall, the newly ascended Fall Maiden.

Something snaps within the young girls mind, a block that she wasn't even aware existed breaking, and unleashing a power that only a few had suspected she harbored.

Blinding silver light blazing from her eyes, washing over everything atop the remains of the CCT located in Beacon Tower, the huge Dragon that had been spawning ever more Grimm for the defenders to face becomes petrified, frozen in place.

Cinder is nowhere to be found, either dead (not likely) or having made good her escape over the side.

Ruby blacks out from the stress of unleashing that blast of power, in combination with what she has endured leading up to this moment.

"Now!" one of the techs yells as they watch the power flare from the battle on one of their screens.

"Collection complete, both duplicates and the lost. Shuffled to their appropriate landing zones," another chimes in watching their own screens.

"Who came out ahead this time?" a third asks.

"The good guys," the first one answers with a grin.

"Ugh... I feel like an Ursa smacked me with my shield," Jaune groans as he rolls over and sits up, one hand going to his head as he tries to remember what happened.

Then he remembers Pyrrha shoving him into the rocket locker and launching him into Vale after giving him the greatest moment of his life as she kissed him with all of her heart.

"Pyrrha!" he gasps, suddenly looking around, and discovering not only her, and the rest of his team, but team RWBY and Professor Goodwitch as well.

Forcing himself to move, he dashes to her and gently lifts her into his lap, lightly slapping her face in an attempt to bring her around.

"Pyrrha! Please, wake up!" he whispers, not overlooking the angry red scar centered on her chest, just above her armor.

"Wha...Jaune!" she begins groggily before her eyes focus, and she clamps him into a joint cracking hug, burying her face into the join of his shoulder and neck. "What happened?" she asks quietly, her memory of her last moments painfully fresh in her mind.

"I don't know," he answers, drawing back enough that he can see her face. "I was totally freaking out after I landed in town. I couldn't get Goodwitch, but I managed to raise Weiss, and she and Ruby were going to go after you to help, and then that giant monster screamed, and then a bright light...then I woke up here, feeling like I'd been slammed into a wall by my girlfriend when she was confused about something I said," he smiles, slightly teasing her as a way to make certain she really is alive after her seemingly suicidal self-appointed mission to stop Cinder. "What happened after you sent me away," he demands, trying to not sound bitter about her methods.

"I used my powers to get to the top of the tower, and I fought her...and I lost," she finishes in a whisper. "She...killed me...she shot me with a glass arrow, right here," she points to her new scar. "Everything was going black...I distantly heard my name, somehow, but the pain...I couldn't see any more. I remember slumping forward, and then...nothing...until you," she whispers. Looking up at him with wide eyes, she asks in a shaky voice, "Is this the afterlife? Are you my reward for being a good person?"

"I can live with that," he grins, kissing her on the lips. "But since I don't remembering dying, I think we are going to have to shelve that idea. Since the only way that they could have gotten us all, was with some kind of bomb big enough to wipe out the entire school," he continues, drawing her attention to the others.

"Maybe you two should start waking the rest so we can get to the next part," a new voice chimes in.

"You...I know you...from a dream...about magic statues?" Pyrrha blurts out, upon catching sight of the woman leaning against the far wall.

"I'll explain that, and a lot of other things, once everyone is awake so I won't need to repeat myself a dozen times over," the woman returns.

"Take Ruby, I'll get ours and the Professor," Juane tells her after they climb to their feet.

"Right," she nods, moving with surprising confidence given how shaky she truly feels inside.

"Ruby? Wake up sleepy head," she smiles as she gently shakes the red cloaked huntress.

"Pyrrha!" she gasps as she jumps awake, both hands clamping onto Pyrrha's to make certain she's not a figment of imagination. "I'm so sorry! I wasn't fast enough! I got to the top of the tower in time for her to shoot you...she burned you to ash and let you blow away...then she dropped your headdress..." she gasps out, bursting into tears as she hugs her returned friend.

"Shhh..." she shushes the younger girl, holding her as she sobs.

"Are...Are you a ghost now?" Ruby asks, her sobbing subsiding.

"If I am, then something bad enough to get all of you as well happened after you saw me fall," she answers with a smile.

"WAKE UP YOU SLEEPY BUMS!" Nora yells into Yangs' ear, jumping back as the blond brawler takes a swing at her out of reflex.

"Well, that's a rude awakening," Weiss complains after jerking awake from the shout.

"Indeed," Goodwitch agrees as she sits up.

"My side," Blake starts to protest before realizing there is no pain.

"Not that I'm complaining, but What the Grimmdark is going on?" Yang asks, a stunned look on her face as she stares in wonderment at her arm...the one that was cut off by Adam back at Beacon...with the only signs of what had occurred being a ring of scar tissue indicating where the grievous wound had been.

"Yang, you're healed!" Blake cries as she launches herself at her partner to give her a relieved hug and prove to herself that it is indeed real.

"But...that's not possible...you didn't have her arm..."Weiss reminds them, her voice subdued by the shock of what they are witnessing.

"I don't care," Ruby tells her firmly. "Whatever is going on, we got Pyrrha back, Blake is fixed up, and my sister got her arm back. I am NOT going to jinx whatever this is, and make it fall apart!"

"Well said Miss Rose, even if I DO find myself more in agreement with your partner," Goodwitch chimes in, an understanding smile on her face to take any sting out of her comment.

"What do you mean we got her back?" Weiss demands.

"I wasn't in time," Ruby answers, her expression more than enough to fill in the blanks.

"But somehow I am indeed back with you all, much to my delight," Pyrrha laughs, the magnitude of what she has been given finally beginning to sink in and feel real.

"So now that everyone is awake, it's time for some answers," Jaune states, pointedly looking at the mysterious redhead.

"Leona...Moonstorm, isn't it? Highly ranked as a Huntress, but very little information actually exists to be dug up about you," Goodwitch remarks, after giving the woman a hard look.

"Yes it is, but not everyone is awake just yet," Leona returns with a condescending smile. "One more to go," she clarifies as one of the hexagonal panels that tile the floor drops slightly before splitting in half and sliding free to reveal a hole.

That is quickly revealed to be a lift of some sort, as a small gantry rises into view keeping a single person on her feet, her head drooping forward with her hair hiding her face.

"Who, or what, is this now?" Goodwitch demands, reaching for her boot, and her wand.

Without warning the woman in question jerks slightly, before the gantry releases her. She is left standing on her own as the gantry itself sinks back into the floor.

With a slight moan, the woman lifts her head, and blinks her bright green eyes. Looking around, she grins widely before throwing her arms wide and calling out, "Sal-u-tations Everyone!" in the enthusiastically happy voice that they had all thought was silenced forever.

"PENNY!" Ruby squeals, flashing over to her friend, rose petals left in her wake as she glomps the older appearing robo-girl.

"Well, this truly is a day for surprises," Goodwitch actually grins, not understanding the why, but realizing that somehow the artificial girl had been resurrected into a new body.

"How?" Ruby gushes, reminding everyone of the last time they had seen the poor ginger haired android...ripped apart by the force of Pyrrha's counter attack in the Vytal Arena.

"Our benefactor managed to copy my program, but more importantly, he rescued my Soul before it could be lost," Penny reports. "But since my damage was so extensive, they elected to upgrade me to an entirely new body, combining my old tech with their own, substantially improving my abilities and durability in the process," she explains.

"Not to mention fast forwarding you through puberty," Yang deadpans, only to get smacked in the head by Blake.

"Yes, my new dimensions will indeed take a bit to become accustomed to," Penny agrees, giving herself a once over, leaning sideways so she can see her legs past her now impressive chest, then twisting around to inspect what she can of her rear.

"You look great, but that outfit doesn't leave much to the imagination," Weiss tells her, trying very hard to keep jealousy out of her voice at the formerly cute androids "upgraded" beauty.

"That I'm afraid is the result of my Master's general view on matters," Leona breaks in. "Penny has been given a whole host of detailed files to help you all assimilate...provided you agree to help us," she continues.

"Perhaps this would make more sense to us if you were to start at the beginning?" Ren suggests.

"It might, but I don't have that kind of time to waste," Leona smirks. "So here's the bullet points:

My boss is pretty much a god, but because of the rules he set for himself, he's now in a serious bind and needs your help.

Most of you are not the "real" versions of yourselves. You are actually duplicates, perfect copies, right down to the soul, as of the time we ran the scans that enabled us to generate you.

Pyrrha, and Penny, are still dead back in your world, Blake still has a hole in her gut from her shithead of an Ex, and Yang is still only able to count to five on her fingers."

"What do you mean we're copies!? I don't feel like a copy..." Nora demands.

"I mean just that. We have the capability to perfectly duplicate anyone from a multiverse of possible candidates," Leona explains, keeping things generalized to speed things along. "Memories, powers, abilities, from your very souls, to your favorite outfits. We are not allowed to steal people from their home dimensions, so this is how we get around that rule if we need someone, or the boss really wants them here. The exception to that is the dead. If a person is dead in their world, then they are "up for grabs" if we can rescue the soul before it moves on. That was how we brought back Pyrrha and Penny."

"And my arm?" Yang asks.

"Your soul still knows what you are supposed to look like, so during the process, you got your puncher back," Leona laughs. "Take better care of it this time. Now, I'm sure some of you have noticed some scaring around where you should be hurt," she says, turning serious again. "That is because my boss doesn't believe in rewarding counterproductive behavior. Blake, you are going to find that stab wound left you quite a beauty mark. You should have ran once you saved that atlas student from Adam, not stayed there to listen to his poisoned lies as he tried to warp your thinking. Yang, stop trusting your aura and semblance to be enough to get you through anything...clearly they have limits. Also, THINK before you jump in fist first. That kind of crap gives all blonds a bad name. Pyrrha...we understand WHY you did what you did, but his semblance is Reflection...yes, you would have been doing most of the fighting, but he would have been your shield, and enabled you to last long enough for more help to arrive."

"Right," Blake nods, realizing the truth of the words from the redhead, and allowing them to help tear away the anchors Adams venom had started to set into her thinking.

"Eh, heheh," Yang trees to laugh, the evidence of the truth of the older woman's words far too much for her to argue against.

"I understand. We've always known we are stronger together...I was just so afraid I'd be forced to watch her kill him...I had to make sure he was safe..." she trails off in shame, realizing that it was her own selfishness over his safety that lead to her own death.

"Following your heart is seldom a bad plan for life kiddo," Leona smirks. "It's one of the reasons he wanted you. But that particular choice could have been better, and you've got a reminder of that arrow to help you remember that."

"So your "master", this so called god that has allowed himself to be trapped by his own self-imposed rules...he's been seemingly quite generous, both in impossible acts, and life lessons. So what does he actually want with us? Why are we here?" Goodwitch demands.

"We need you to help us fight a war," Leona deadpans, pointing to one of the walls, which suddenly lights up like a view screen.

Images of a video game fans wildest dreams begin to play, sword bearing barbarians with magic fighting against high tech warriors, and being able to hold their own. Giant robots clashing with armored infantry fighting around their feet. Another image set has monsters that looks suspiciously like Grimm being blasted off the top of a city wall by the defenders, only for the wall to be smashed moments later by even larger monsters.

"We have exceptional technology, and are able to recruit some of the finest warriors from the multiverse, but much like your world, it always seems to come down to numbers. No matter how skilled, or powerful, eventually the hero's tire, while the hordes of the other side are relentless and unending," Leona explains.

"What can a mere ten additional combatants do to change the tides?" Blake asks, aghast at the other woman's assumption that they can do more than die horribly for her cause.

"Oh there are far more than just you," she grins. "We collected nearly fifty people in the same bunch as you."

"Well, already knowing how awesome we are, I've got to say...this doesn't look like a fight that we can help you win," Yang tells her. "We can make a big splash for you, in maybe two fights before they figure out everything we can do, and after that, you are back to the same old problem, and we will probably be dead."

"A rather dark, but accurate assessment, Miss Xaio Long," Goodwitch agrees.

"Well, if you agree to help us, we will of course do our best to keep you alive," Leona snorts at their short sightedness. "Besides, it's not like any of you need to rush home," she adds, as the images on the wall shift to show what is currently happening back on Remnant: Blake skulking the rooftops of Vale, Goodwitch running herself ragged to rebuild, Yang staring vacantly out her bedroom window, Weiss flying to another meeting alongside her father, Ruby and the rest on the road, in search of justice.

"It's really true...we're just copies," Weiss whispers, her entire worldview imploding.

"But you can also be so much more," Leona tells them. "If you wish it, we can alloy you to bond with Spirit Animals. They will increase your powers and abilities considerably, with the only downside being that you won't be exactly as you are now."

"How so?" Pyrrha asks.

"Well, mostly this, as a side effect," Leona grins again, as purple striped cat ears and tail appear upon her. "For the most part you get to remain you, but there will be slight shifts in how you perceive things, owing to the more animalistic sides of the spirits. Lastly, the Spirits will become a part of you so that they may assist you in using the powers they will grant you during the joining. In some cases, you won't need their teaching, as their powers will simply make your own even stronger. In other cases, well for the first few times, it will feel more like you are talking to yourself as they answer your questions," she explains.

"So how are you able to change like that?" Blake demands.

"The colors and that big smile reminds me of the Kaithshire Cat!" Nora chirps in.

"And you would be right in that guess," Leona's grin turns to a smirk. "And as for that power...well, let's just say reality is my bitch," she finishes, flicking her fingers at Pyrrha, and causing the rest to do a double take as the colors of the younger girls outfit shift to match Leona's in theme.

"How do we join with these spirits?" Weiss asks.

"We've actually chosen several Spirits based on your already established powers and abilities, including some of your character traits," Leona answers, resuming her human appearance. "You just can't see them yet. They will instigate the merging, but during the initial meetings within your own minds, is where you get to choose to accept them, becoming more than you are currently, or reject them and remain the same."

"When does that part happen?" Nora demands, nearly jumping for joy at the prospect of getting cute animal ears and a tail.

"Now of course," Leona chuckles as she watches the gathered spirits jump into the bodies of all but Penny.

"Am I not a suitable host?" Penny asks, put off by the vacant, slack jawed looks on the rest.

"Sorry sweetie, but they need a living host, and despite how alive you truly are, you are still made up of machinery, not living tissue," Leona explains to her. "If it was different, I can think of several that would be delighted to merge with such an innocent soul. But for now, I need to take my leave. I have other duties, and you have the files needed to complete the orientation for them."

"Yes, Ma'am!" Penny salutes.

"Farewell little one," Leona grins as she fades out, her smile being the last thing to vanish.

"Welcome back Friend Ruby!" Penny says as she offers the noticeably changed girl a hand up off the floor from where she had fallen during her change.

"How many of us took the offer?" Ruby asks, waiting for the room to stop spinning so she can stand by herself.

"All of us Miss Rose, you are the last to return from the change," Goodwitch answers her, prompting Ruby to boggle at he changes in the formerly stern teacher.

"Your Hair!" she squeaks, that being one of the most dramatic changes.

"Yes, it seems that I am no longer a blond," she sighs. "I suppose I'll just have to live with others no longer underestimating me because of it," she finishes with a smirk.

"Hey!" Yang calls back, playing up being insulted at the implied "dumb blonds" stereotype.

"WOW! That's some tail you got sis!" Ruby gasps as Yangs huge serpentine dragon tail shifts under her, allowing her to lift herself off the floor and assume a sitting pose in midair.

"I'm a lot stronger now too," she adds smugly.

"You didn't come out looking too badly yourself Ruby," Blake chimes in, drawing attention to her radically altered fashion sense.

"WHOA! How do you keep from spilling out of that vest?!" Ruby demands in shocked surprise.

"You don't have much room to talk, Dolt," Weiss breaks in on her, bringing attention to Ruby's own altered outfit and profile.

"Neither do you, Ice Queen," Blake counters.

"I'm no longer the least impressive in physical attributes," Weiss smiles smugly. "Also my Spirit partner is a bit of a showoff."

"Peacock from the looks of those tail feathers," Yang smirks. "Although I've never heard of them in such pale colors."

"While your guess is understandable," Weiss smirks, "it is also incorrect. I am now part Ice Phoenix."

"Impressive," Goodwitch grants her.

"Yeah, she did better than Ren and I did," Jaune chimes in as the JNPRs join them.

Which causes Ruby to double take.

"Jaune?" she asks in shock, recognizing his colors, but the voice and form don't match what she's expecting at all.

"More like Jean, now," she sighs. "It would have been nice to have been warned that the spirits preferred FEMALE forms..."

"Wow, Ren is even bigger than Yang..." Ruby states in dull shock.

"And she's really snuggelable too!" Nora adds, her new wolf tail wagging enthusiastically.

"Well, surprises aside, I don't think things went too badly for any of us," Pyrrha interjects, before planting a kiss on Jeans' lips. "Besides, while I'm going to miss your guy muscles, bunny girl you is pretty darn cute," she finishes with the dopy grin of someone in love.

"It doesn't hurt that the Stone Rabbit and the Long Tailed Lynx have a history of being close," Jean adds absently, the same dopey expression on her own face.

Oh, Ren, rub my ears again, that felt GOOD!" Nora begs/demands.

"Oh, very well," she smirks indulgently as she lays a hand atop the excitable wolfgirls head.

"Little to the lef-oooooh yeah...that's the spot," Nora groans in pleasure, her eyes nearly rolling back as she forces her head harder against Renna's scratching fingers.

"So Miss Rose, I assume your newfound lack of modesty is a result of the Spirit's influence upon you, much as Miss Belladonna's is," Goodwitch remarks. "So what did you get joined with?"

"I got a Kamaitachi, which is a weasel type Wind Spirit from someplace called Japan. Mine looked more like a Long Tailed Ferret though, which is why I look more like Blake," she answers. "Although clearly you got a really special fox Professor."

"Indeed, the Grey Fox of Wisdom," she nods with a smile, unconsciously lashing her twin tails. "And it seems that the more wisdom I accumulate, the more tails I will have. My spirit is insatiable in the pursuit of knowledge."

"Almost as good a fit for you as mine," Blake grins. "The Shadow Panther and I hit it off almost instantly...probably why I was one of the first to come around afterward."

"And Yang is a Dragon," Jean states flatly.

"Well Duh," the boisterous blond grins. "Me and the Guardian Dragon are a match made in heaven. Extra toughness, and strength, Kick ass golden scales, and the horns even go with my hair!"

"I'm the Storm Wolf!" Nora proclaims loudly. "Not quite Queen of the Castle, but now I get to make lightning storms to power myself up!"

"The Leopard of the Forgotten Wilds," Renna answers the unspoken question when they look to her. "It seems I now have a certain degree of control over plant and animal life."

"This is all MOST impressive," Penny grins, happy for her friends to have gained such powers, although she doesn't understand why she is spending so much time scanning their appearances...or what she is focusing those scans on...

"This however is NOT impressive," Weiss snorts, attempting to find a way to release the collar around her neck. "In fact, I am about ready to see how much Cold I can generate, and if this stupid thing can hold up against it without breaking."

"Oh, you mustn't do that!" Penny tells her. "That collar and Identibadge are for your own protection!"

"Protection from what?" Yang asks.

"Please look to the viewing wall, while I call up the proper files," Penny requests. "The worlds we will be operating on, and some of our potential opponents, use slavery, not only as a punishment, but as a means to an end," she explains, images flashing up on the wall. "While "the good guys" only do it for prisoners or those who willingly enter into a contract, the "bad guys" are really jerks about it and will use various methods and means to assert their control over others, mostly innocents that got pulled here thanks to some disaster in their own world that allows for the rules of collection to bring them here, the same way we were."

"And the reason these collars don't seem to have a catch to release?" Weiss demands.

"To insure that you can't be enslaved via a magic slave collar," Penny reports. "Our Identibadges signify that our "Master" is the "God" of this realm, much like Ms. Moonstorms' is. And THAT means that only he, and those in his employ of a higher rank than us, are allowed to order us around."

"Well, that certainly wasn't part of any deal I was informed of!" Weiss huffs.

"No, it wasn't," Goodwitch agrees. "But I find the prospect of being taken unawares and stripped of not only my dignity, but my free will as well to be the much larger evil of these two distasteful choices."

"Agreed," Pyrrha nods. "Besides, it's not like this so called god is showing a personal interest in us. We are just the newest troops to join his cause."

"Pyrrha-" Ruby begins, only to be interrupted.

"Purrha," the redhead corrects her.

"Wut?" Ruby replies brilliantly.

"Pyrrha Nikos is Dead...Ash in the wind. I've been reborn Twice on this new world, once as my old self, and now as the Long Tailed Lynx. So I'm renaming myself to reflect that. Purrha Nekos is my name now," she explains.

"Okay," Ruby nods. "Purrha has a point. The collars might bug some of us, but the badges sound important, and being hooked to the collars means we can't lose them."

"Says the girl who managed to "misplace" seven scrolls in a single month," Weiss smirks, air quoting misplace.

"Hey, it was crunch time for finals! I had a lot on my mind!" Ruby shoots back, her spiking temper causing the air to begin to stir around them.

"Hey Rubes, if you're a wind spirit now, you need to keep your cool, otherwise we'll have a tornado or something in here," Yang says, placing a hand on her sisters shoulder, while pulling loose strands of her hair back out of her face.

"Right, thanks," Ruby sighs, visibly calming herself and bringing the air back to stillness.

"And let that go for all of us with more...elemental abilities now," Goodwitch looks over the rest. "It wouldn't do to allow our emotions to cause problems after all."

"Something just occurred to me," Bake suddenly speaks up.

"What's that?" Yang asks.

"Who else got "collected" when we did?" Blake asks.

"Well, that didn't go like I expected," Coco mutters as Velvet helps her up.

"No...No it did not," Winter agrees as half of team NDGO helps her, with the other half looking after Arslan and Reese.

"Wow, that was super freaky AWESOME!" Neon gushes, going from out cold to motor mouth in less than a second. "And now I've got stripes!"

"You don't look like you've changed much other than getting some cat ears...and a little more up top," Flynt smirks behind his shades.

"I'm a LOT stronger, now, see?" she answers as she regains her feet and easily hefts him into the air by his shirt, with one hand.

"Hey now, do NOT wrinkle the threads!" he complains causing her to nearly drop him.

"Oh, sorry, it's just so exciting!" she continues to chatter.

"Exciting is one word for it," Arslan agrees, inspecting her own new lion tail.

"Well, this is going to take some getting used to," Winter sighs, looking at her expanded assets.

"It looks like we all gained a bit up top from this," Coco agrees, her fluffy new fox tail lashing behind her.

"So you all turned down the offer?" Reese asks, her own new fluffy ring tail wagging of its own accord.

"I'm good," Flynt agrees. "Never had any desire to be part animal, no offence gang," he explains.

"None taken," Coco returns. "That's why it was a choice, and not forced on us after all...although I can't say I'm a fan of this new accessory," she grumbles feeling along the edges of her collar for the release.

"In all likely hood, you won't find one," Winter informs her, having already performed a similar search on her own. "It seems that in accepting the merger, we've agreed to a few more hidden details."

"Makes me glad I passed," Nebula mutters.

"Are you sure you're all okay?" Velvet asks.

"Oh yeah, although I feel a bit more...combative...eager for a fight," Coco admits.

"I feel the urge to lower the temperature...significantly," Winter notices "It's an easily controlled urge though...although it may not be so if we were in a hotter climate.

Before the discussion can continue, a hidden door opens, allowing entry to the next chamber.

"Well are you guys going to stay in there all day, or are you going to let us get this show on the road?" they all hear in what is to most of them a familiar voice.

"Was that...?" Ruby asks, unable to believe her ears.

"It sure sounded like her," Nora nods.

"Great...well, let's get this over with," Goodwitch groans, before leading the way out to the newly revealed common area.

"I wondered how long it would take for them to get around to drafting you lot," Raven Grimwulff smirks, several other Hunters arrayed near her.

"They got you guys too?" Ruby asks after catching sight of Team CATT.

"We've all been here almost from the start," Cole informs her. "We got created by the boss, in order to give him some hooks into Remnant."

"The Master sees himself as a bit of a story teller, but he prefers to do it in other peoples worlds," Noir Ebonshroud adds.

"So he created all of you..." Weiss trails off.

"To facilitate interactions in your home realm, yes," Tasha Ravenwood replies with a nod. "The versions of us there are no less real, but they are the copies, not us."

"This is getting confusing," Velvet complains.

"What did you expect with the damned Cheshire Cat giving you explanations?" Antonia Blackthorn snorts.

"Yeah, she probably promised you a bunch of things, then faded out without telling you any of them...or just flat out didn't mention them in the first place," Talia Ravenwood adds with a scowl.

"Both," Goodwitch and Winter answer after sharing a look.

"Figures," Sapphire Windsong chuckles, using a finger to tip her hat back.

"Well, given that, I'm certain you all have even more questions," Spectra Harmoni tells the new arrivals. "So we will do our best to fill you in on things while we head down to the world we get to use as a home base."

"What? where the heck are we if not on the ground?" Yang demands.

"Kid, the universe just got a whole lot bigger for you guys," Raven chuckles as she moves along, hitting a switch on a nearby wall, and causing it to transform into a huge veiwscreen.

Displaying a panoramic starfeild with a bright blue world below their feet.

"That, is called Tetrarak," Penny helpfully points out. "It is the location of the main headquarters, as well as allowing the "Rogues", or "Grey hats" to maintain their own settlement."

"Wait...how many sides are there in this war?" Coco demands.

"Technically there are three factions," Penny continues. "The "hero" group, to which we are currently attached, known as the Defenders of the Realm. We get to use the Queendom of Evenost as our headquarters, and have quite a few helpers from several differing dimensional realms to assist us, thanks to the Master's habits of creating people to fit into those worlds."

"Next are the "Wildcards", or the Rogue element," she says after allowing them a moment to digest that. "They are comprised of those who rejected joining us, became disillusioned with the fighting, those who have broken away from the bad guys, and the general "criminal element" of this world. They have a few advantages we don't since they are allowed to travel to both sides, and have the most powerful ship of the bunch at the moment."

"What's that?" Ruby asks. Pointing to an odd shape in the distance.

"That is the ship I mentioned," Penny answers interfacing with the stations systems, and increasing the magnification on that point, blowing up the view to display the massive battle ship. "The Scarlet Claw, a pirate ship of surprising might, and defensive abilities, and that's before you even get into the powers and skills of her crew."

"How big is it?" Jean asks, not having anything to use as a reference point.

"OH! Let me put up a wire frame of one of the Atleasian Command Ships that came to Vale for the festival," Penny answers, her eyes glowing for a moment as the glowing blue wireframe appears on the wall...and being dwarfed utterly by the Pirate ship.

"That thing...that thing could evacuate an entire Kingdome!" Blake whispers in shock.

"Or obliterate one," Winter scowls.

"Very true," Penny agrees. "But there are reasons why Tetrarak is immune to that particular threat from them."

"And what would those be?" Goodwitch asks.

"Mostly the Dragon Gods, and angering the Dark Lord of Overkill," she answers.

"The who and the what now?" Nora counters.

"One of the worlds that has had a greater contribution to this dimension is called Drakarna, and it was created entirely by the Master, The Dark Lord of Overkill. We are all wearing his sigil," Penny reminds them, pointing to her Identibadge.

"Well, not all of us," Velvet returns. "Some of us turned down the offer."

"OH! My apologies. You will need to get a cuff with your badges on it then," she informs them.

"I'm not real big on jewelry," Flynt retorts.

"It isn't an option," Penny informs him. "EVERYONE has some form of Identibadge, but the ones that outsiders get are to make certain that they can be identified for medical reasons."

"Alright, but I'm agreeing to it under protest," he grumbles.

"And we got collared why?" Coco demands.

"The Master...is kind of a perv...if I am using the term correctly," Penny returns. "It is one of the reasons that slavery is an institution. While he finds forcing innocents into it to be rage inducing, he rather enjoys punishing the guilty this way, and sees those who are willing to undergo it as something special."

"And how do you know that?" Weiss asks.

"Because I've been telling her directly," they suddenly hear. When they turn to look, they find an imposing suit of powered armor, easily seven feet tall with a glowing blue T shaped visor standing there with his arms crossed, with teams CATT and RHWN on one knee.

"Why is it that we should believe that you are actually a god?" Coco demands.

"Well, for starters," he returns negligently waving a hand at her that results in her clothing instantly being transformed.

"What the Darkness?!" Coco gasps as she discovers she's been reduced to wearing nothing but a pair of ballet boots that climb to her thighs and fit like a second skin, and equipped with cuffs at thigh and ankle to insure they can't be removed, along with a pair of gloves that stretch to her upper arms, similarly cuffed.

"Since you're a bit belligerent, you are stuck like that for...two hours let's say. In order to teach you a bit of humility," he tells her, the condescending smirk he must be wearing clearly heard in his voice.

"You BASTARD!" she snarls, whipping her bag out to the side so that it has room to transform into her chain gun.

Only to be pulled off balance and spun around as she suddenly finds both of her wrist cuffs attached to the handle behind her back.

"I added a small chain from your wrists to your collar as well, since you seem like the type to try and hop through the loop of your arms to get your hands in front of you," he adds, nearly laughing as her embarrassed blush nearly matches the shade of Ruby's hood.

"Let me go you arrogant S.O.B!" she snarls again, clearly trying to break free with raw strength, the fur on her new tail standing on end as a further indicator of how upset she is.

When she starts to charge him, surprising in those kind of boots, he snaps his fingers which causes her to pull up short as a leash is now dragging the floor and attached to the back side of her badge.

"Why can't I Move!?" she yells, clearly trying in vain to lift her feet, which seem to be glued to the floor.

"Well, since you seem to be lacking in self-control, you can't be allowed to move about unless someone else is holding your leash," he tells her as he moves in closer, and making it apparent that despite the added height from her new footwear, she is woefully short in comparison.

Reaching forward, he lightly tugs on it near her collar, saying, "Now, as entertaining as this is for me, do you really want to continue? Next I'm going to give you some lovely body jewelry, followed by locking a chastity belt on you holding in some really powerful toys. Oh and the belt won't open until I decide you've had enough. Think carefully."

Coco just growls at him, but wisely doesn't speak.

"Velvet? Be a dear and keep your friend with the group. There are a few that even here, in a supposed safe zone, would take advantage of her current situation," he tells her, taking her hand and gently placing the leash in it. "And do enjoy yourselves later," he murmurs, just loudly enough for the two of them to hear him, prompting both of them to blush furiously, as images of the other dance through their minds.

"So object lesson aside," Goodwitch breaks in. "Why have you appeared before us?"

"Ah, thank you for putting this back on track," he nods to her. "There are new opponents joining the other side from this collection...and one of them is possibly just as dangerous as the Zoalord. And the rest can bring you up to speed on the opposition later," he adds in as Nora starts to frantically wave her hand for attention. "So I'm leveling the field a bit, and allowing the Dragon Avatars to assist you. This is Kisha, Avatar of Dakar the Chaos Dragon, and defacto leader of the rest."

"Master, are you certain of this?" she asks as she steps through a shimmering magic portal.

"Do you need a reminder of your place as well?" he asks, without out looking at her.

"No, Master," she answers respectfully.

Good," he says. "Now then, while she is well versed in the overall situation, she is sadly lacking in details, so she will be attending your orientation, so she can pass it along to the rest."

"This way then," Raven nods to her, unphased to discover that the "Master" has vanished.

"My people do come and go quickly here," Purrha remarks.

"Kitten, you have NO idea," Antonia chuckles.

"And that is pretty much the big names from the other side, and what they are capable of," Raven finishes as they approach a hanger bay.

"Okay...can you download all that to my scroll, so I can study it later?" Yang asks.

"Right, you, study?" Blake deadpans, causing the rest to laugh at the boisterous blonds expense.

"Hey, I study things that interest me...and not getting blindsided by bad guys interests me a lot," Yang counters.

"I can easily duplicate the needed files to your Scroll, Yang," Penny breaks in.

"Anyway, these are your new shuttles," Cole interrupts. "The design is based on the gear that the Red Paw Exploration gang uses, but it's both better than and not quite as good as theirs."

"That makes no sense," Renna states.

"The tech itself is more advanced than what they use," Noir explains. "But they have A.I. helping run theirs that is at least as good as Penny."

"So these have dumber programming but better overall tech," Coco attempts to clarify, still struggling with her wrists, and causing her chest to move distractingly for most of those present.

"Correct," Tasha agrees.

"Hey, can we use this tech to improve our gear?" Ruby asks, wondering what kinds of new modifications she might be able to apply to Crescent Rose.

"Certainly," Spectra fields that one. "I'm willing to bet that most of us are using gear that is a bit beyond what you might be used to seeing us using."

"COOL!" Ruby gushes, nearly bouncing as they move closer to the shuttles.

"These look like someone stuck a pretty slick car to the front of a flying tank," Reese remarks upon getting her first good up-close look at the shuttles.

"A pretty accurate description to be honest," Sapphire admits with a chuckle. "The car can detach, and can fly on its own, while the rear section can turn into a wheeled crawler vehicle suitable for a mobile command center, bunk house, or any number of other uses. And then there is the heavy combat transformation."

"What's that?" Arslan asks.

"When the crawler transforms into a giant robot and with one of you piloting it, proceeds to kick much ass," Talia grins.

"Why do I feel a headache coming on?" Goodwitch groans.

"Because you know what this bunch is capable of," Raven laughs. "Split up and saddle up. Penny, you should know everything you need to pilot one."

"Yes Ma'am!" Penny salutes, boarding one of the ships, followed by teams RWBY and JNPR.

"If the controls aren't too complicated, I should be able to pick it up fairly quickly, especially if there is some form of autopilot or tutorial program to assist," Winter muses.

"I'll be flying for you," Noir informs her. "You can watch and get the hang of it."

"Our Shuttle is currently back on the Cloak of Shadows, getting rebuilt," Cole explains, glaring at Talia.

"Nice name," Blake grins. "But what kind of ship is it?"

"It's my Personal Atleasian Command Ship," Noir answers smugly. "Highly modified to enable it to also function as a space ship."

"That brings up an important question," Weiss speaks up.

"Indeed," Winter agrees. "It's a well-known fact among those that are ...intimate with Dust, which the farther one gets from the surface of Remnant, the weaker Dust becomes."

"So how can your Dust Reactors function at this kind of distance?" Weiss finishes.

"Simple," Spectra grins, pulling her guitar around so the Schnees can see the transparent Dust Chamber within it. "It's not the same Dust as on Remnant."

"What the Darkness did you do to me?!" Ada Tauros shrieks as she prepares to kill everyone.

"Oh, did I forget to mention that the Spirits tend to prefer female forms?" Leona grins infuriatingly at her.

"I'll Kill you for this!" Ada screams, rushing forward and preparing for one of her several quick draw sword attacks.

"I think not," Leona laughs, catching the attack on the golden wrist blades she is suddenly sporting, as the two begin to duel in earnest.

The fight continues until Ada is thrown off balance as her Chest swells up enough to pop a button from her shirt.

"A present," Leona laughs one last time, before fading out as she had on the rest.

"Well, this has certainly been different," Salem scowls, clearly not amused by Cinders flunkies.

"Cinder..." Emerald whispers worryingly, totally unnerved by Ada's reaction, and just being in Salems' presence.

"Fear not Mistress," Cinder begins to try and calm the situation. "While the circumstances of our being here are troubling, the replacement of my Maiden powers with those of the Fire Phoenix should keep the status quo in our favor."

"Hardly, as my own powers have been augmented as well," Salem corrects her. "Although it is...odd, to have become a true demon, after having the masses confuse my pets with them for so long," she smirks, absently fanning her new wings as she looks over her new form.

"They won't know what hit them," Cinder grins maliciously before screaming in pain and bursting into flames.

"Neither will you, Corruptor!" rings through the room as the flames take on the shape of a huge bird. This continues for several minutes, until the flames finally die out, allowing Emerald to finally approach Cinder to check on her.

"Is that something the rest of us are going to have to worry about?" Ada demands."

"Shut up, shithead," Cinder shocks them all by snarling.

"I thought that might have been the case," Salem sighs as she prepares to fight.

"The Phoenix found that ...THING...and burned it out," Cinder growls at her. "I'm free of you now," she states before unleashing flame blasts at her former Mistress.

"Really...how cute that you think so," Salem chuckles, completely ignoring the searing flames.

Further conflict is interrupted as a second Firebird, this one black with undertones of red, suddenly erupts in the chamber.

"If you don't wish to side with them, then come with me, and I will see you are given a choice," Raven Branwen, the Black Phoenix says as she draws her blade and squares off against Salem.

"I'm with you," Emerald tells Cinder.

"We never signed up for working with Demons," Melanie Malachite says, her sister and Neo Politian nodding in agreement.

"Then we will be taking our leave," Raven decrees, as the lot of them Vanish in another burst of black flames.

"Well, that's irritating," Salem sighs again, before turning to Ada. "Come along, let's find out what fools we have to use in this world.


	2. Chapter 2 Meet and Greet

Crossover War 2

"It's about damn time," Coco snarls as her clothing reappears and the things she had been forced to put up with for the last few hours vanish, only to reappear in a neatly folded pile in front of her.

"Pick them up," Velvet tells her.

"Not happening," Coco counters, her foxtail still puffed up in irritation.

"He wants you to have a reminder," the bunnygirl whispers. "If you don't keep them, he might decide to put them back on you."

That certainly brings the leader of her former team up short.

"I want it on the record that I'm only doing this under protest," Coco tells her, carefully scooping the boots, gloves, and leash up, before tucking them into an empty ammo pouch on her belt.

"Better than having him annoyed with you again," Velvet reminds her, trying hard not to smile.

"Yeah, yeah," the foxgirl mutters, as they hurry to catch up with the rest of the group.

"So that was what happened," Penny nods. "I had wondered why someone who has always used no more force than absolutely needed in a fight would suddenly attack me so viciously."

"I'm really sorry about that," Purrha winces again, the turmoil she had felt at inadvertently killing Penny back on Remnant returning full force.

"I told you before, that wasn't your fault," Jeanne tells her catgirl as she hugs her from behind.

"No, it was part of Cinders plan," Ruby growls. "And done by Emerald...She's the only one that was there, since Mercury was delaying me in the service tunnels."

"And we know from my fight with him, that his semblance let's him control his wind shots for that big attack he likes to use for a finisher," Yang agrees, smoke actually rolling from her nose as she remembers what had happened to her as well.

"Also explains why I was seeing things when we fought them," Coco adds, joining the conversation as they catch up.

"So if we end up fighting her again, she goes down first, to keep the head tricks to a minimum," Blake states.

"Agreed. And I'm pleased that you are all able to be so...detached about what happened before we came to be here," Goodwitch tells them.

"Like Purrha said before, we've been reborn here," Ruby shrugs. "My original self will have to figure all this stuff out without being able to ask Pyrrha or Penny what happened during their fight, and since she's currently traveling with Juane and the rest, it's not like she can compare notes with Coco. I wish there was a way to warn her, but that's not how things work I guess."

"Unfortunately not," they hear, having been absently following along and not paying attention during their discussion. "If it did, it would both make things better in your original worlds, and so much worse at the same time."

Taking stock of the speaker, the group can only conclude that she is the Queen that was mentioned before, given that she is sitting on a throne with several others in attendance.

"I am Vix," she supplies, her nine tails absently shifting around. "I rule Evenost, and have opened its doors to those of you who wish to fight back against those who would enslave and destroy everything in the name of greed and ambition."

"Then it seems we are in the right place," Winter smirks, with several of the other new arrivals nodding in agreement.

"Excellent! I try to have discourse with the new arrivals, but seldom is there such a large group at once," she explains. "Please if you have any questions about your new home, do not hesitate to ask. I will want to speak with each of you personally at some point before we finish here, but any of my advisors are as able to help you, so please, do not be shy."

"Behave," Renna orders, snagging the collar of Nora's vest before she can begin pestering people she thinks look interesting.

"I assume you two are the Ranking Elders of this group?" Vix asks, descending from the Dias with her throne to speak with Winter and Glynda.

"Yes, and I must admit that this is not what I was expecting to need to deal with when I got up this morning," Winter chuckles.

"How do you think I feel?" Goodwitch snorts. "Since this morning, I've had to deal with students being killed or maimed, the failure to uphold a sacred trust, the fall of our academy, the assentation of a murderess to the rank of demigod, the complete breakdown of inter-kingdom communications, and THEN I got to wake up in a whole new world, with a completely DIFFERENT set of problems!"

"Nice to see you seem to be adjusting well," Vix snorts a small laugh.

"It's surprisingly liberating to be told, and then shown, that you are just a double, and that the original is still carrying on where you remember leaving off," Goodwitch returns wryly.

"I'm just sorry I wasn't there to help," Winter sighs. "Trying to track down the White Fang, probably the same bunch that was dropping Grimm in on you...makes me feel rather useless."

"Well, no point on dwelling upon the events of the other worlds we come from, when we have this one to deal with now," Vix reminds them. "So please, is there anything you wish of me and mine?"

"How reliable is the information dispensed by Leona Moonstorm?" Winter asks, still irked by the omissions in her explanations.

"When she is informing new arrivals, everything she tells you is the absolute truth as she knows it," Vix answers. "Unfortunately she has the rather irritating habit of not filling in all, or sometimes even most, of the details."

"Yes, I've already found that part out the hard way," Winter sighs, looking down into her now overly generous cleavage.

"Or the fact that the spirit bonding would result in the boys of the group being transformed," Goodwitch adds.

"Oh dear... how are they taking the change?" Vix asks in concern.

"Surprisingly well," Goodwitch admits. "I believe that has much to do with the easy acceptance that their peers are showing them, mostly ignoring the change after the initial shock and just treating them as they always had, for the most part. The other spirit related changes are getting more attention out of them, which I find somewhat odd, now that I'm discussing it."

"We've seen this kind of thing before with others who are sadly no longer with us," Vix admits. "It seems that your spirits are slightly adjusting the way their hosts are thinking in regard to that, helping to ease the transition. The same is true of the former boys, in that their thoughts, while not being blocked on the subject, are mostly being redirected to other matters. They can still think about it if they focus on it, but it's not allowed to dominate their attention, if that helps?"

"Actually, yes, that does help put my mind to ease a great deal on the matter," Goodwitch admits in relief. "I was beginning to worry that they were deliberately suppressing things, which could lead to much greater problems for them in the long run."

"On another subject, the group I awoke with had several members turn down the Spirits offer," Winter takes her turn to ask. "So since they don't have one of these yet, I'm rather curious as to what they all do. One of our number is a synthetic, if you understand the term, and told us some of it, but I'm not certain I trust that she was given all the information we may need to know."

"Ah, the Identibadges," Vix nods as Winter fingers her badge. "We find them both familiar, and odd. They are partly magical, and partly what some of the others call technology. My people being more used to the magical side of things, I can tell you more of those traits than the others, but I know of a few of those as well."

"Start with the technological, as those are things we are more familiar with," Winter tells her, "then you can go into more detail with the things you are more learned in than we."

"Very well," Vix nods. "In addition to somehow being able to project images, they can interact with "computers", and with the use of a device that clamps to the head allow you to speak to and hear back from others at such distances that the only way we could manage the same is with coded mirror signals. I'm certain there are more things along those lines that they can do, but I am not well versed enough in their operation to say. Now for the Magical, those I can speak to with greater authority. In addition to being as permanently fixed as a slave collar, they are able to read your minds. I have witnessed this in combination with the far speaking, as the person was coordinating several different units at once. They protect you from the Slave collars, in addition to the more obvious preventing them from being worn, they actually repel the type that can be thrown and will seak out a target. Also they show your allegiance. As yours have the blue eyes, they show you belong with us. Red are our Enemies, and any other color are Rogues."

"Hmm...so they perform several of the functions our Scrolls do, as well as a few others," Winter muses.

"From what Penny told us, Slavery was a temporary thing, not eternal," Goodwitch remarks, having caught the mention during the description.

"It is, for us," Vix answers. "When the contract is completed, or the prisoners sentence is served, the Slave Master in charge will release them. The Reds on the other hand, do not behave as honorably, nor are they limited to simply using collars. One among their number, the Zoalord, is able to transform normal humans into minion monsters that can be controlled with but a thought. And even alone, only the strongest magics can harm them. Lesser technology weapons have little effect at all."

"Guess it's a good thing most of us don't qualify as normal any longer," Winter smirks.

"Indeed, this is why the Darklord created the Spirits," Vix nods. "When the Zoalord arrived, there were several human settlements, until the attacks, when they were enslaved, converted into the monsters called Zoanoids. There are several types, all with strange names that I don't know."

"We can ask Penny, she should have the details for us," Goodwitch returns.

"Why do they only attack normal humans?" Winter asks.

"It seems that the process to transform them is limited to unaltered humans," Vix says as she shrugs. "All I am certain of, is that none of my people have been transformed by the Zoalord, but hundreds have been killed fighting it.

"We have experience killing monsters," Winter answers that, a look of challenge on her face.

"We know, your "Grimm" are also among the challenges we have been forced to deal with since arriving in this place," Vix nods. "And while your Hunters are highly trained and well armed, your weapons fare little better against the Zoanoids than our own. Some of you have had better results, but most fall, unless their magic can save them."

"Our semblances," Goodwitch nods.

"Yes, your unique powers," Vix agrees. "Which now that you have been enhanced with Spirits are so much more than before."

Suddenly the doors to the throne room are thrown open, and several heavily armored soldiers wearing a variety of colors enter, a red armored trooper in the lead, who calls out, "We heard there was a new bunch of cannon fodder delivered, and came to take a looksee," in a gruff voice.

"Shut up Sarge," a black armored trooper orders him with an air of menace.

"Sorry about him, he's not quite right in the head," a gold armored trooper says to Goodwitch and Winter.

"It is alright York," Vix tells him. "They will need to become accustomed to the oddities of your group before long anyway, may as well throw them in the deep end while there are others here to rescue them if needed," she finishes with a wry smile.

"I take it this bunch, while being an oddball collection of wildcards, is somehow incredibly effective on missions that seem impossible," Winter smirks, giving the armored troopers a critical inspection.

"Uh, replace oddball with moronic, and you'd be closer to the mark, but otherwise, pretty much," York chuckles.

"Which way is the buffet? I was promised snacks!" a trooper in orange armor calls.

"Shut it numbnuts!" Sarge counters.

"No snacks this time Griff, this is a meet and greet," A trooper in purple armor with a green stripe informs him.

"Damnit North, I'm really getting tired of the Bait and Switch!" Griff complains.

"Then stop falling for it all the time," a trooper in Maroon armor retorts.

"Put a sock in it Simmons," Griff grumbles.

"I see that time on detached Duty with you hasn't changed them much," a trooper in dark grey armor with yellow accents says to North as he leads in a bunch of other troopers in shades of blue.

"I still don't understand how the likes of them managed to put down a crazy Maine," York admits, shaking his head as he rejoins them.

"Because as messed up as they are individually, as a team they are incredibly effective," the grey trooper retorts.

"Wash, you're just happy to have found a bunch you are better than," York counters, giving the other trooper a playful punch in the shoulder.

"Sorry for their antics, Queen Vix," another trooper says, having managed to approach unnoticed, the female voice initially taking the new comers by surprise given the bulkier armor.

"That's fine Carolina, they would need to get to know your Freelancers sooner or later," Vix smiles.

"We're actually two distinct units," Carolina tells Winter and Goodwitch. "My team is the Freelancers, Washington and Tex run with the Reds and Blues unless we need more manpower."

"Which one is Tex?" Winter asks, not having heard anyone use that name yet.

"The black one," Carolina answers, pointing to where the trooper in question was delivering a punishing nut punch to Griff.

"Yang and Coco are going to adore her..." Goodwitch deadpans.

"I feel your pain," Carolina tells her with a long suffering sigh. "Just be thankful you don't have a Caboose in your group."

"What's a-" Vix begins to ask.

"Hello!" Caboose says loudly, from just behind her.

"What do you want Caboose?" Carolina grits out.

"Yeah, I thought someone called me over here," he answers.

"Captain Caboose, Captain Tucker is signaling for your attention," a mechanical voice breaks in.

"Thank you, Freckles," Carolina says in relief.

"Oh, nice to meet you all, which way Freckles?" the dumbest trooper of the group asks.

"To the right," the voice says again before the Blue moves off.

"Was that his gun providing us with a way to get him to wander off?" Winter asks.

"Yes. Dr. Grey put the low grade personality matrix from a war droid that he had taken as a pet and put it into his battle rifle after the droid was destroyed," Carolina explains. "It's actually worked out pretty well, all things considered. He hasn't "accidentally" shot any of us in a long time."

"Suddenly I don't want any of my students near your team," Goodwitch deadpans.

"Don't worry, one of the other things that Dr. Grey did was-" Carolina is cut off as the gun makes a sound like a party horn, and a small puff of confetti erupts from the barrel. "To give Freckles control over the firing mechanism. Just pulling the trigger only gets you the funny noise and confetti."

"Please tell me that one is the worst of the lot," Winter mutters, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Hello," Ruby says as she walks up to a younger member of the assembly who is leaning against the wall.

"Hello," the silver furred with blue tiger striped catgirl returns.

"So...What do you do around here?" Ruby asks, idly rocking back and forth on her heels.

"Well, the Queen is my adoptive mom, and I'm kind of a middling skill adventurer. Got a fair amount of magic too, so I'm pretty useful in a fight," she answers. "Tiggarra Lostone," she introduces herself, offering her hand.

"Ruby Rose," she grins as she takes the offered hand and gives it a good shake. "So what kind of weapons do you use?"

"Most of the time I use this," Tig returns as she slowly draws the black steel blade at her side and holds it out for Ruby to inspect.

"Neat!" the little red reaper enthuses. "This is mine," she adds as she activates Crescent Rose with a flourish, and holds it out for Tig to inspect in a similar manner.

"Wow," Tig is suitably impressed. "How do you make it fold up like that?"

"It's the way we build them where we come from," Ruby says, not knowing how much she should be trying to explain about the details.

"Ah," Tig nods in partial understanding. "I forged this myself. Did you have help for yours?"

"Only with the skills to use it," Ruby returns proudly. "I designed and forged her all by myself!"

"Going on about weapons again?" Weiss breaks in as she joins them.

"Weiss, this is Tiggarra. She's the Queens adopted daughter," Ruby introduces them. "And Weiss is my partner and one of my best friends! And back in our world, she's Heir to a big company, so she's kind of used to being treated like royalty."

"I wouldn't know what that's like to be honest," Tig returns ruefully. "Aside from a handful who judge based on merit and effort, the majority of my mothers' court has always treated me poorly at the best of times."

"I understand how you feel," Weiss tells her. "Always so eager to suck up and tell you what they think you want to hear to your face, the fangs and claws come out when they think you can't hear."

"Actually, I generally got the fangs and claws to my face. They didn't even think me worthy of sucking up to," she smirks, "Of course that changed once I got this thing," she adds, showing them the half bracer on her right arm.

"Magical?" Weiss asks, able to sense...something...about the jeweled band.

"Oh yes," Tig grins. "My companions each have a specially enchanted weapon from one of the Dragon Avatars. Those mark them as each Dragons' Champion. This thing makes me the leader of the bunch."

"Not bad for a "middling" adventurer," Ruby grins at her.

"The others are all far more experienced than me, except for Hissa, so while i get to make the big calls, I generally let the more experienced guide us," Tig admits.

"Yes, she shows wisdom beyond her years in that regard," a woman with lion ears and tail, Revealing, yet heavy armor, and a mane of blond hair that puts Yang to shame breaks in as she joins them.

"Leonarra Proudmane, Captain of the Royal Guard, Paladin, and the Queens Bodyguard, as well as Champion of Serra the Guardian Dragon, and Battle Mage of Wards," Tig introduces the newcomer.

"Wow, that's a lot of titles," Weiss admits.

"And a lot of Responsibility, especially now that we find ourselves in this world once more fighting an enemy we had thought destroyed," Leonarra scowls. "But that is not your fault, as you have also been pulled into this fight without so much as a "by your leave" to warn you."

"So, safe to assume you're not happy about the current situation," Ruby nods.

"She's not happy, but she's not as upset as she sounds either," Tig smirks. "'Narra isn't really happy unless she's in the field. She's more annoyed with this little party than she is with being back at war."

"I'm not particularly happy to have the Queendom back to being at risk of being overrun and its people turned into chattel, or worse," Leonarra snorts. "However I am pleased that we seem to have gotten a skilled bunch of warriors this time around. Some of those to have appeared in the past...More hindrance than help."

"Well, a large portion of us opted to Join with Spirit animals, so we have enhanced abilities, but I feel we should inform you that nearly all of us are still students," Weiss admits.

"Students of what?" Leonarra asks, suddenly very worried.

"Hunting Grimm," Ruby answers.

"Don't worry about their competency Leonarra," Cole says as he slips up behind Ruby and Wiess. "Before their School was attacked from within, these two where among some of the most capable of the first year cadets."

"Just beginners?" 'Narra whispers in shocked dismay.

That causes the Hunters to laugh.

"Hardly," Weiss smirks. "Beacon was to be the final four years of our training. We have been training for a large portion of our lives, and are quite good at what we do."

"But not good enough to prevent the destruction of your school," 'Narra counters, wanting to see the reaction.

"No, but that wasn't because we didn't fight," Ruby growls, her temper flaring over the memories. "I watched friends die, and my sister got her arm cut off. Her partner was stabbed in the gut by someone that she used to think of as a friend and mentor. We were betrayed from within, and as much as I don't want to admit it, some of them just outclassed us."

Tig uses a subtle bit of magic to try and calm the winds that Ruby's flaring temper are stirring, while Leonarra looks at the girl with new understanding.

"I'm sorry that my words upset you, but I wished to take a measure of your maturity. You have my condolences for your losses. We've lost far too many ourselves since all this started," Leonarra tells them.

"So do we pass?" Weiss smirks.

"Indeed, I look forward to seeing the fruit of your training," the older warrior nods with a smirk of her own. "I'd be even more curious to see how you stack up against my best student."

"Who's that?" Ruby asks, understanding the reason for the other woman's words having calmed her temper, and the winds that it was stirring.

""Oh, that's me," Tig grins. "Who else but the very best do you think the Queen would have teach her kid how to stay alive?"

"Remember to try and reign in your new instincts," Velvet whispers to Coco as they move among the various groups, looking for someone not currently involved in conversation to question.

"Having a bit of trouble adjusting to not being a plain human anymore?" Someone says from nearby.

"I wouldn't say trouble," Coco counters. "But I feel like the slightest thing is a good enough reason to start a fight...although so far I've managed to keep it to arguments."

"And ended up mouthing off to the God of this place and getting a really embarrassing punishment for a few hours," Velvet reminds her with a sunny smile.

"It's a really good thing for you that I can't really get mad at you," Coco grumbles.

"Sounds like you could do with sometime around me and my bunch," the woman smiles, as she holds out her hand to them. "Shawna Murphy. I'm the Leader of the Red Paw Exploration Group."

"Coco, and this is Velvet," she says as she accepts the offered handshake. "So what makes your group the one to teach me to keep my new temper under control?"

"Because I've quite literally been there," she grins as she shifts to her hybrid Werewabbit form, easily gaining a foot of height on them, not counting the length of her floppy ears.

"Another bunny," Coco smirks, before the nature of Shawna's smile registers. "Wait a second, you're not a normal rabbit."

"What was your first clue?" Shawna laughs. "The fact that I stand on two legs, the pointy teeth, or the fact that I've got a sword on a whip growing out of my butt?"

"A what?" Velvet yelps, unable to not look, and see what appears to be a monkey tail with a Sword at the end of it attached to her.

"Careful of the blade," Shawna warns. "The tailblade of a Wabbit is always enchanted with Wounding magic, which will make you bleed out without a counterspell of some type to stop the effect." then she transforms again as she lightly lands atop Velvets head in her full Animal form. "And that goes for this form too," she squeaks out as she settles in between the teens bunny ears.

"This is getting weirder by the second," Velvet complains, moving very carefully so as to not unbalance Shawna, or accidently catch herself on the cursed tailblade.

Coco on the other hand can't help but smile at how Cute Velvet looks with a bunny riding on her head.

"Out on the terrace, we can Talk with fewer interruptions from the rest," Shawna squeaks out, pointing at the doors.

Once the three exit, Shawna hops off Velvets head, and resumes her human form.

"What are you?" Velvet asks.

"I am a Were-Wabbit. Back in My world, some mage with delusions of awesomeness figured out how to take the spells that existed that allowed the other were species to continue to exist, and break them into parts, which then allowed him to choose from the natural gifts they had, as well as substitute in a new animal base. I was the lucky test subject," Shawna finishes with a scowl. "But I'm not Mage enough to know all that without out better magic users explaining it to me in a way I could understand," she adds with a chuckle.

"So some magical mad scientist turned you into that?" Coco asks, sliding her shades down so she can look over the top of them.

"Pretty much, and given the size of the lemons, I've made some pretty good lemonade," Shawna smirks.

"What kind of powers do you have besides the sword tail?" Velvet asks, still mystified over this.

"Well, I'm way stronger than a normal human when I'm like this," Shawna answers, shifting back to her hybrid form. "My hearing is good enough to hear a heartbeat from across that throne room," she jerks a thumb over her shoulder, "and I can jump...I think it was like four or five stories, straight up without any kind of boost or running start. I haven't checked that one in a while," she admits with a shrug. "Were's regenerate stupid fast, as long as the damage wasn't caused by something magical or silver. We don't react well to silver."

"How not well?" Coco asks.

"Like we burst into flames, and even if that can be put out, the Soul-char can still kill us...and you don't want to know how much any of that hurts. I've had someone try to kill me with silver, and while they failed, I can STILL feel how much it hurt..." Shawna answers.

"Ouch," Velvet winces.

"But that stuff is just part of the plain package," Shawna continues. "I've got a whole bunch of other tricks that are all mine."

"Such as?" Coco asks again, actually enjoying the way the other woman is making her earn her answers.

"Well, magic guns, for starters," she grins, as the twin pistols appear in her hands.

"If those ran on dust, I'd say you'd fit in with us just fine," Coco grins.

"So I've been told," Shawna smirks, causing her spell guns to vanish once more. "But I'm pretty handy with Tech too. Right Redd?" she asks.

"Of course Mistress," a hologram of an attractive redhead in a maid outfit answers as she appears.

"Wow, I wish my holo weapons looked as real as that," Velvet gasps.

"Let us look your gear over, and we'll see if we can't upgrade you some," Shawna offers with a shrug.

"Sorry, you have a bit of fuzz," Redd tells the bunny Faunus as she pinches a speck of lint from her arm.

"Wait, that holo is hard light?" Coco asks in surprise.

"We use Holoforce for our projections, which basically means our images are generated using specially modulated forcefeilds," Shawna grins impishly. "So they can either be "ghosts" or just as solid as you and me...or even harder if they need to actually fight."

"She's right, you could get a lot of mileage out of your camera if you let them take a stab at upgrading your gear," Coco tells Velvet.

"No kidding," she agrees.

"What kind of weapon and powers do you have kid?" Shawna asks, intrigued now.

"I can generate hard light versions of any weapons I've taken a picture of with my camera," Velvet explains as she takes out the item in question. "But it burns a lot of power, and the pictures, so I have to keep taking more pictures every time I use it to be able to use them again. And my semblance lets me mimic the fighting style of the people that use the weapon, so I'm almost as good with it as the person that created it."

"Oh kiddo, you soooooo need to update to digital storage media," Shawna tells her. "We might be able to help you with your power issue, and I know we can find a better method of saving your images so you don't use them up. Your special power is already awesome, so I doubt we can improve on that. How long can you maintain each weapon?"

"It depends on both how powerful it is, and how many pictures of it I have," Velvet answers. "If it's not that powerful, I don't need as many pictures to maintain it for a minute or so. Something like Coco's minigun however, takes a lot more pictures if I'm going to use it long enough to do any damage with it."

"Minigun?" Shawna asks, cocking an eyebrow at the foxgirl.

"Yup," she smirks as she opens her bag, the panels unfolding and things within expanding into place. "Walk softly, and carry a big boomstick," she grins.

"Brianna is going to love you," Shawna laughs.

"Who's that?" Velvet asks.

"It's...complicated," Shawna says after a moment. "Here, let me give you a rundown of the universe I came from, including a bunch of people that didn't get to come along when we got yanked here," she begins, telling the pair about her origins, and adventures leading up to the supposed hyperspace miss jump that resulted in their arrival here. "So in addition to having a Dynasty Fortress grounded here on this world that is serving as our main base-"

Coco interrupts her with, "Wait a second. Didn't Penny tell us that THIS was the main base?"

"This is the overall base," Shawna clarifies. "My bunch has their own, near Roguetown. We handle most of the go between work dealing with them, because they like some of my crew...a LOT."

"Doesn't sound like most of your people would put up with them for any real amount of time," Coco retorts doubtfully.

"Well, remember how I told you about my teacher and her family, and the folks that I got to know through her?" Shawna asks.

"Yes, but they didn't sound like the type to put up with the greys either," Velvet opines.

"The ones from my universe, no," Shawna sighs. "The ones that are here and attached to my core group? ...I may love them like they are my extended family, but I'll be damned if I can understand the differences that led to them turning out the way they did."

"That different?" Velvet asks.

"Several of them come from a universe where they operate a Pornography Studio, and the rest of that bunch have rather enthusiastically joined up for the most part. And they keep trying to get the rest of us to join in as well, and with some of the things I've got going on with me...I have to be really careful when it comes to going over there or else I can end up losing a few days," she says dejectedly. "The Arms Master, and Jetta, are pretty much the only ones that don't join in, but the Arms Master is distracting for other reasons."

"Sounds rough," Coco tries not to laugh.

"Trust me, keeping everyone on the same page gets to be REALLY complicated when you start getting alternate versions of people you know," Shawna tells her sternly. "You know how they are SUPPOSED to act, but that is only in the world that YOU know. They are actually acting completely normal for the ones they come from, but it may as well be the freak zone to you."

"I'm willing to risk them, if it means we can improve our stuff, and learn new things," Velvet tells her.

"If you want to, then I'm with you Bun," Coco tells her.

"Welcome to the crew then, at least until we can get you guys set up with improved toys," Shawna grins at the pair.

"What the Dust?" Coco snarls as they suddenly hear a commotion from back in the throne room.

The crowd scatters for the walls as black flames erupt in the center of the room, forming a firebird, before dying out and leaving Raven's escapees behind.

The sound of various safeties being released and a somewhat impressive assortment of firepower being leveled at them brings the Malachites up short.

"This is not seeming like much of an improvement," Militia remarks.

"No, it does not," Melanie agrees.

Then the pair stare in shock when Neo storms over toward Ruby, furiously typing on her scroll.

When she is in a position that Ruby can't possibly miss if she shoots, Neo holds out her Scroll for the other girl to read.

"What happened to Roman?" Ruby repeats what she's just read in surprise, before noting the determined look on Neo's face. "He got eaten by a Griffin while he was beating me up," Ruby tells her coldly.

Neo's eyes widen in shock, before she types out another quick question.

"Yes, I killed it," Ruby nods.

Neo just nods back, tears running down her face as she turns her back on the Huntress and walks back to the Malachites.

"So, here we have two of the monsters responsible for the attack on Beacon, and the Murder of two of our own," Winter declares.

"And I came here to Surrender," Cinder declares, holding up both hands together in front of her.

"And why should we believe that?" Purrha demands, her voice cold and her aim steady.

"You!? How?" Cinder asks in shock.

"Apparently I was deemed worthy of another chance, in this world," she growls.

"Oh thank Dust," Cinder sighs in relief. "I surrender myself directly to you, Pyrrha Nikos. Do with me as you will."

"Us," Emerald speaks up. At Cinders' shocked look, she says to her, "I told you I was with you. I never gave a damn about the plan, I was there for YOU. And I still am."

"And you three?" Goodwitch demands.

"We just woke up with them," Melanie explains. "The spirit animal thing seemed like a good idea at the time..."

"But then the Bull Guy got turned into a girl and lost it, and the Creepy White Lady got turned into a full on demon...and we didn't sign up to be playing with Demons," Militia finishes.

"And Neo says she doesn't give a damn about any of this, and just wants a place to figure out what she's going to do now," Emerald relays after reading the shorter girls scroll.

"Well Majesty, as the ruling law of this land, I believe it falls to you to pronounce sentence upon these two," Winter remarks, her sword still pointed at Cinder, but her stance less aggressive.

"Who else has been harmed by these?" Vix asks the assembled Remnants.

"Well, I had a fight with the twins, but I WAS busting up the Bar they were working at, at the time. But Emerald pulled a head trick on me that got me disqualified for attacking someone who wasn't attacking me!" Yang answers.

"Penny was destroyed because I was tricked into seeing something that wasn't there, and made me over react to protect myself. We've come to the Conclusion is was caused by Emeralds semblance," Purrha chimes in. "Also Cinder Murdered me after I failed to subdue her."

"Do you wish to refute these charges?" Vix asks the pair.

"No," Cinder answers, and Emerald Just shakes her head. "But I do want to say that Emerald was only following my orders."

"So noted," Vix nods. "Get me Nektra."

"Already present, My Queen," the Wasp woman announces as she steps through the ring of Hunters to stand next to Vix. "Your verdict?"

"As the snake has pledged herself to the bird, she shares her fate," Vix decrees. "And that fate is to become slave to those you have wronged. You will serve this sentence until such time as your victims feel you have redeemed yourself." Turning to Purrha, she adds, "As you have the most...personal grievance with her of those present, YOU are hereby named her Master, and therefore her companions as well. Speak with Nektra about the stipulations you wish placed upon them, and she will see to it."

"Wait, they have these collars too, doesn't that mean they can't be made slaves?" Renna points out.

"I alone among the Slave Masters have been granted the ability to alter the enchantments upon the Dark Lords collars," Nektra tells them. "For instances such as this, when the bearer of one is either captured, or has had a change of heart and wishes to submit to the laws of this land."

"So there is someone like you on the other side?" Nora asks.

"No, Nektra is unique among the denizens of this world for this ability," Leona says as she fades into sight. "The other side has no balance on this point due to just how big a bunch of shitheads they are, and how quickly, and badly, they would abuse it."

"Well that's a relief," Yang deadpans.

"You're welcome by the way. The boss is big on balance, but i made it a point to inform him of just how quick balancing this one would turn against him," she chuckles.

"Penny, can you create holo images?" Purrha asks.

"No, that is not currently among my capabilities, but I CAN upload images to a Scroll for you," the ginger haired android answers as she steps up next to the catgirl.

"That will do," Purrha nods. "I'd like images of the outfit Coco was forced to wear earlier."

"I have a few suggestions for you to think on for them as well," Leona grins as she joins Purrha, Penny and Nektra.

"Why," Goodwitch demands of Cinder.

"Why what?" she retorts.

"I was dealing with your handiwork back in Vale," Goodwitch snarls at her. "You don't honestly expect me to believe that the mastermind behind that disaster would willingly give herself up for punishment after actually winning, do you?"

"I wasn't the mastermind, only the top lieutenant," Cinder answers her quietly. "Salem is the Mastermind. And I don't honestly know how long ago she did it, but she managed to get a Grimm in my head...one that turned off my conscious, and empathy to others. I was fully aware of everything I did, but until the Phoenix burned that damned thing out of my head, I honestly thought and felt that I was being just and right in my actions. Now I can't even stand to look at myself in the mirror. So I honestly don't care WHAT you believe, I'm doing this because it's the only way I can stand to live with myself from now on. My only regret about turning myself over is that Emerald is going to share it." Turning to her partner in crime, she says, "I'm sorry I involved you."

"I'm not. I may have felt bad as the city was being destroyed, but they all needed to be brought down a couple of pegs," she smirks. "I didn't know you killed Pyrrha though."

"After that wash of silver light from Ruby, I woke up here," Cinder tells her, "and I never got the chance to tell you before everything started happening.

"Prepare yourselves, everything has been decided," Nektra warns as the group returns.

"One moment before you carry out the plan," Goodwitch orders. "I have a bit of new information. I don't particularly think it will alter your plans, but you all still need to be informed."

"About the ...THING... that was manipulating her?" Purrha asks. At Goodwitch's shocked expression, she adds, "Leona informed us as she was suggesting methodology for the punishment."

"I see," Goodwitch remarks as she watches the Cheshire Cat fade out with a jaunty wave, her grin the last thing to be lost from view.

"Now, as you have both been found guilty of your crimes, the time has come for us to enact your sentence. Come forward," Nextra orders. Once they are in position, she reaches out and grasps both of their identibadges. "As you are now slaves, Clothes are a privilege allowed only by your mistress," she begins, as the pair find themselves naked, with their clothing appearing in neatly folded piles next to their feet. "Secondly, so your status is apparent to all, you will be garbed as such," she continues, as they suddenly find themselves wobbling slightly as they are now balancing in boots much like Coco had endured earlier. Matching gloves appear next, with the metal bands holding the attachment rings fitting so snuggly there is no possibility of escaping them. To finish out the set, their torso's are suddenly crisscrossed with straps and rings, leaving then ensnared by the metal and leather webbing, yet still nearly completely naked. "Now, know this. While these will constitute your daily wear, your Mistress has the option of calling forth additional items directly onto you, either as a set or individually, as she feels it is required. Purrha, would you like to inform them of the additional conditions you are placing upon them?"

"You now serve in the manner your training was meant to be used. You will be allowed to keep your weapons and equipment, but you will only be allowed to use them in service of others, or in self-defense. Any attempt to free yourselves or cause harm to another for personal gain will not have pleasant results," Purrha tells them.

"I understand," Cinder nods respectfully.

"So, you are really going to let me keep my guns?" Emerald asks as she picks up her holsters and buckle them back into place.

"As I am not your Master, and thus cannot give you permission, perhaps you should draw a weapon and see how far you can push things?" Nektra suggests.

"Not a bad idea," the snake girl grins, her fangs showing as she whips one of her pistols out, only to drop it, and fall to her knees in pain as her head feels like it is exploding.

"No, it was a very bad idea," Purrha smirks at her, snapping her fingers and cutting off the onslaught of pain.

"Right," Emerald nods slowly, waiting for the room to stop spinning.

"Pick up your weapon and put it away," Purrha orders.

"Yes, Ma'am," she says as she slowly reaches for her gun. When there is no pain spike when she touches it, she carefully picks it up and holsters it.

"Self Defense, and in the service of others. Any attempts to escape your restraints, or the punishments in general will result in more of the same, and likely additional...restrictions," Purrha smirks, remembering some of the other things Leona had told her could be brought forth upon the two just by wishing for them. "And before you begin to think you might manage something when not around the rest of us, be warned, the identibadges are linked into your mental state. Which means if you purposely do something with the intent to cause mischief, it will know, and you WILL pay for it. I stipulated that to insure that you are being true with us," she adds directly to Cinder.

"I understand," she nods, inspecting the crimson leather binding her form.

"Uh, if that was intended for her, why did I have to test it?" Emerald asks, her green Leather work a greater contrast against her darker skin than what Cinder is displaying.

"Because while she had an outside influence altering her mind, you have no such defense," Purrha snarls at her. "You WILLINGLY used your powers to trick me into killing Penny! I respect Cinder for wanting to do what is right now that she is free. The only thing I respect about you, is your loyalty to her."

"Not my fault you brats don't know what the real world is like," Emerald sneers back.

"This isn't Remnant, and you are no longer free to do and say whatever you wish," Purrha reminds her. "And that is a fact that is as real as it gets," she finishes as she mentally commands some additions to Emeralds outfit.

"Wha-OW, HEY!" Emerald squawks as her arms snap together behind her, the lock rings connecting to keep them there, before they then fold up, leaving her with her hands at the back of her neck and elbows trapped together. "MMMPHHH!" she then tries to yell as a ball gag is suddenly in her mouth, the strap locked tightly behind her head. She utters another muffled yell when a blindfold is also locked into place, blinding her.

"She is unable to move without someone holding her leash, See to it," Purrha orders Cinder, who quickly spots the lead dragging the ground near Emeralds trapped feet.

"Wow, I didn't think she had it in her," Coco mutters as she continues to watch the display. "Hope the Bitch likes everything that goes with that junk," she smirks vindictively.

"I have your leash, please don't fight it," Cinder whispers to Emerald as she picks up the lead.

"MMph," Emerald grunts to signal she heard.

"What about Neo?" Ruby asks. "She freed Roman, and that lead to the Robots going all "kill the Hunters" on us."

Neo doesn't even look up, she just continues to sit near the twins, looking shell-shocked.

"We will watch her for now. We don't want any part of the war, but if she acts like she wants to go back to the other side, we'll let you know," Melanie says after a moment.

"If that is your wish, then I will remove you from this camp, so you can begin your new lives here," Raven tells them, as she steps back into the open area.

Before anyone can say or act out, the four vanish in another black firebird burst.

"Why does she seem so familiar?" Yang wonders.

"Now that you are more informed of this world, i hope that you will continue to help us defend it," Vix says as the informal meeting comes to a close.

Raven Grimwulff steps forward as the Queen sits back down to say, "For all you newcomers, we've been sorting your groups and have been figuring out the best places to put you for some additional experience here, before letting you go off as your own teams."

"Great, so we are back to square one rookies again?" Yang complains.

"Not quite, but not too far off either," Raven returns. "We know you're all capable, but you don't know all the trouble yet, that's why we want you working with established groups for a bit first. That being said, Penny, Goodwitch, and team RWBY will ride with team CATT for the time being. JNPR is with us. Coco and Velvet have caught the attention of the Red Paws, so they will go with them, along with Arslan, Winter, and Reese. Flynt, Neon and team NDGO will go with Tiggarra and her group.

"What are we, Chopped Liver?" Sarge demands.

"Too much trouble to be subjecting the newcomers to until they at least have the hang of piloting the mechs if they need to," Raven shoots back.

"Rather than the locals, it might be better for NDGO's group to come with us," and new face wearing a black bodysuit under gold armor says as she walks up, a buckler with a Phoenix on her left arm, and a Shotlance in her right hand.

"Didn't know your bunch was back, or else I would have gone with you to start with," Raven nods. "Especially with Eclair and Brassy to help them with the tech side."

"Welcome to Tetrarak, I am Sable Fenix," the Knight bows to the room in general.

"The Phoenix Knight? Here?" Weiss whispers in surprise.

"And leading her own team," Winter adds. "Quite a departure from back home."

"This is our home now, remember," Goodwitch reminds the sisters. "And I for one am glad to have those familiar with our previous one to help us acclimate to this one."

"Okay, basic is going to run about a month, then we will all reconvene at the Red Paws base, and settle up on who goes were for actual assignments," Raven finishes.

"Then let's get to it!" Ruby enthuses, eager to learn about the new tech.

"You heard her, let's go," Goodwitch agrees as the groups break up.


	3. Chapter 3 Advanced Training

"So what's first?" Ruby asks as Penny guides their shuttle along the Flight Path that Cole had set them on.

"Well, first, we need to get our shuttle, which means a quick pit stop at the Cloak," he answers. "After that, we head out into our territory, and well away from the front lines, so we can get you lot up to speed on the tech and your powers."

"Do you really think we need that much work on our personal abilities?" Weiss asks, with a smirk.

"You tell me, I didn't just freeze my drink bag," he counters, causing her to realize he's right, she had.

"It seems you make a valid point Mr. Tygriss," Goodwitch allows.

"Besides, the whole Mech situation is...kind of complicated," he adds, scratching the base of his ponytail.

"How so?" Blake asks, leaning up against a wall with her arms crossed.

"Well, with the exception of the Red Paws, whos mechs are run by Advanced A.I. programs that may as well be human for how they act, the rest are decidedly dumb. As in without a pilot, they are nothing but big chunks of armored cover," he begins to explain.

"Given the centralized control disaster that was the Atlas Knights command signal, that sounds good to me," Weiss chimes back in.

"Except you can't call in backup from your mech, unless you left someone with it to drive it," he explains. "And even then, the one you left may not be able to give you the kind of backup you actually need."

"How so," Goodwitch asks, now curious.

"Each Mech form is customized to the pilot," he explains. "Hey are all based on core designs called "Gundam Frames" but are constructed out of a nanotech/liquid metal that causes them to shift between the forms of the transports, and the Warmech."

"Then while we are not doing anything constructive right now, perhaps we should be selecting our base frames, and seeing to the customization," Goodwitch offers.

"That, we can do," Antonia nods, calling up a holographic control pad, and getting the interior to reconfigure slightly to give the group three simulation control pods.

"You can select from preexisting configurations, ask the computer to find you the best match and then customize from there, or just custom config. , based on your preferences and personal scans," Talia tells them.

"Me first!" Yang grins as she slips into the first pod.

"Miss Belladonna, Miss Rose, if you would," Goodwitch directs.

"Not a big fan of Mechs," Blake grumbles as she enters the second pod.

"This. Is. Going. To. Be. AWESOME!" Ruby cheers as she flashes into the last pod.

"Hey, this thing acts more like a computer game," Yang remarks as she reaches out to start "touching" selections in the holofeild.

"Why does it matter what sex we are?" Blake demands.

"If you want a slimmer frame for your mech, it matters," Cole answers.

"Just so long as there's a good reason for it," She nods, making her own selections.

"So what kind of power source do these things run on?" Weiss asks. "There is no way a simple Dust reactor can handle this."

"You're right, they can't," he nods. "We call them Chaos Drives, but the exact way they work is a mystery to us, even the real tech heads."

"Hey, why can't I find a simulation cockpit so I can learn the controls?" Ruby calls out.

"Because they work on a motion capture command system," Antonia answers. "They will mimic your movements, and automatically engage thrusters to match your capabilities as closely as possible. Other commands are Voice Activated. It's a variation on the control setup the Red Paws use, but not quite the same as the "Mobile Tray" system that was used in the original setting the tech comes from."

"Cool! That means I can make the mech use a scythe as well as I can use Crescent Rose!" Ruby enthuses.

"Why am I not surprised that she managed to find one that uses a scythe?" Weiss smirks to Goodwitch.

"Because she's your partner," Goodwitch chuckles back.

"I'm not sure how much good it will do, but I'm done," Blake announces as she steps clear of her sim cockpit.

"You first Miss Schnee," Goodwitch waves her toward the pods.

"Awesomeness: the name is Burning Dragon Gundam!" Yang announces as she pumps her fist.

"Looks like you're up too, Professor," Blake smirks.

"So it would seem," Goodwitch sighs, understanding the need for it, but unable to shake the annoyance of needing to be checked out on a piece of heavy equipment. "Unfortunately, I feel that I will seldom be using it. I'm much more suited to fighting afoot rather than mounted within a heap of scrap."

"See if you still feel that way after it's been optimized for you," Cole smirks. "I know I wasn't really impressed when we started using them, but once I got it configured the way I wanted...Well, let's just say that my Avenging Gundam is not something they like seeing pop up out there."

"We shall see," Goodwitch allows as she begins working on her setup.

"Looks like the Cloak is going to be a quick in and out," Talia announces. "The systems say our Shuttle is ready to go, all repairs completed and stores restocked."

"Good. Penny, don't bother landing, just fly us into the bay, and let us off, we'll fire up ours and meet you outside, where we can get back on task," Cole orders.

"Will do!" She agrees, deftly guiding the transport into the docking bay and flipping switches to open an exterior hatch.

"Okay CATTs let's go," Antonia calls before jumping out of the hatch, followed by the rest.

"They seem even more competent than the ones back on Remnant," Goodwitch remarks idly as Penny sends them drifting back outside while resealing the hatch.

"But that is a good thing, isn't it Professor?" the android asks as she takes up a stationary position above the Cloak of Shadow's upper deck.

"Indeed it is, but it concerns me as well," she admits. "You don't get that kind of competence even from training at a place like Beacon."

"You're right, this is the result of a LOT of life on the line combat experience as a team," Cole answers as the other shuttle drifts clear of the hanger bay. "But for now, it's time to see how good Penny is as a pilot."

"Excuse me?" Penny asks. "I wasn't aware of any problems with my piloting so far. If you were unsatisfied, you should have said something sooner."

"He means we are about to engage in a little game of follow the leader," Tasha sends back quietly. "Tag, you are it," she finishes, before firing the afterburners and launching their shuttle forward.

"Well, don't just sit there, AFTER THEM!" Ruby orders, pointing at the holoscreen with team CATT receding into the distance.

"Right!" Penny nods, likewise going to full throttle for the chase.

"Not bad guys, I guess being a bot means that Penny can ride the redlines a little closer than we usually risk," Cole grins as the RWBY's shuttle joins them in their chosen patch of "middle of nowhere".

"A little warning would be nice," Weiss huffs.

"Not like you're going to get a lot of warning when an attack comes, Icefeathers," Talia retorts, gifting Weiss with a new nickname.

"Indeed, checking our reactions to the unexpected was a worthwhile exercise," Goodwitch agrees, shutting down any further complaints from the younger Huntress's. "So what is next on the agenda?"

"Well, since you are all spliced, and we are not, "I'm going to activate our mech, and start running you through the basics of maneuvering and weapons activation, with Antonia assisting as ground control. You and the rest will be working on getting a handle on your expanded powers, with help from the twins."

"Yang, get the mech," Ruby smirks, knowing her sister will start begging to be first if she doesn't cut her off.

"YES!" Yang crows as she runs back up the ramp, and activates the mech cockpit like they had shown them during the first stage of the trip.

"Well, even I must admit that this is impressive," Goodwitch allows, watching the odd mixture of fluid and sliding plate transformation alter the shape of their transport until Yang stands the Mech up from a crouch, the last few repositioning's snapping into place as the arms come up and the mech mimes cracking it's knuckles.

"It's downright scary how much that thing actually looks like her," Antonia mutters, getting nods from Blake and Weiss.

*Authors note* For those of you that want a "construction breakdown" of the Burning Dragon Gundams' appearance, it's based on the frame of the Noble Gundam (G Gundam) with design elements of the Burning/God Gundam (G Gundam) and the addition of a long tail with a mace at the end. the "Avenging Gundam" is mostly modled on the Wing Zero Custom (Endless Waltz) with the twin buster rifle incorperated into a huge shield, and a Beam sword more like the Epyon's (Gundam Wing)

"Cole's Mech isn't exactly something to sneeze at," Weiss deadpans as the thruster shroud/wings settle into place.

"Just like you guys, he customized a design to fit with his combat style. Only difference is that thing is way faster comparatively than he is on foot," Antonia grins, happy that they are impressed.

"Well, I would expect nothing less. It's not like he has thrusters shoved up his butt," Blake smirks.

"True, but that mech has them out the wazoo," Antonia laughs in agreement.

"Well, let's get to this. Blake, I'd like you to focus on your shadow clones, and expand into possible new aspects of your powers. Weiss, I'd like you to spar with Talia, as you are both able to create constructs. Ruby, as you now have a command of wind, Tasha should prove an interesting challenge for you," Goodwitch instructs.

"And what of you, yourself, Professor?" Antonia asks, as she connects her Scroll wirelessly to the diagnostic systems on both mechs.

"Why I'm going to be wildcarding the lot of them," the elder Huntress smirks, as she follows after the rest into the woods opposite the direction the Mechs are heading.

"Oh, this is going to be worlds of fun," Antonia smirks, hoping that the twins manage to record some of it.

"C'mon...I know you're out here, I can actually FEEL you," Ruby mutters, not certain how to use her new "wind sense" as she's been thinking of it, but able to feel the disruption of the natural currents that is being caused by Tasha Ravenwoods "Soul of Wind" Dust, which she has infused into her hair ornaments, her dress, and the blades of her weapons, the twin "Nevermore" machine pistol/fans that seldom leave her side.

Ruby jumps as the "vip" of a near miss causes her to leap to the side, rapidly scanning around for the shooters location.

"Someone is firing on you as well?" Tasha asks as she lightly drops in behind Ruby, holding up her hands.

"It wasn't you?" Ruby demands.

"No silencers," Tasha points out. "And the one that fired upon me wasn't deep enough to have been you."

"Right," Ruby accepts that, since she's got the biggest gun other than Antonia, not counting Talia's bazooka.

"Have you had any success in refining your powers?" Tasha asks as she scans their surroundings.

"A little," Ruby allows. "I can kind of sense the disruption you cause when you use your Dust, but I need more time to work out how to narrow things down."

"Good, we have a goal then," she nods.

"Once we find our mystery sniper," Ruby agrees.

Only to jerk back as another silent round splinters the tree next to her head.

"Okay, that's starting to make me mad," Ruby growls.

"Well, what do you think we should do about it, since we can't seem to find the shooter?" Tasha asks.

"Blake, If you don't knock it off, I'm going to get mad!" Ruby yells.

"How do you know it's Blake?" Tasha wonders, having had her own suspicions.

"You are the only one besides her using handgun ammo," Ruby smirks, pointing at the hole in the tree.

"Well played," Tasha smiles.

Another round "vips" in kicking up dirt at their feet.

"Warned you," Ruby growls.

"Your plan?" Tasha asks, the sparring clearly preempted by this.

"You have more practice controlling winds than I do, but I have the power," Ruby whispers so only Tasha can hear her. "I'm going to see what I can stir up, and you guide it."

"As much as I am able," Tasha agrees, never having had attempted to reign in a spirits power before.

"I'm going to need a small clearing," Ruby says, as they look around their current cluttered location.

"Over that way, a few yards, there is a small dip that is devoid of trees, roughly twenty feet across," Tasha points in a direction. "I saw it as I was flying in on you."

"Perfect," Ruby grins as they pair move off.

"This is quite clever," Blake admits, as Goodwitch once again uses her now enhanced TK powers to compress the air around her gun barrel to improvise a suppressor, rendering the shots nearly silent.

"This gambit wouldn't be possible without your new ability to step through the shadows," Goodwitch grants her. "But yes, it struck me that Miss Rose is more...innovative... against an unknown threat, than against those she sees as friends."

"One thing about Ruby, she's always got a surprise handy, even if her new outfit doesn't leave her much room to hide one," Blake grins.

"You are hardly in a position to speak ill of another wardrobe," Goodwitch smirks.

"Wasn't Speaking badly of her," Blake defends herself while ignoring the dig about her own modesty challenged outfit. "Just stating that there's not much there to hide anything. I at least have pockets," she finishes with an impish grin.

"Fair enough," Goodwitch is forced to concede with a chuckle as Blake drops them into the shadows once more, before causing them to rise from another a fair distance away. "How do you navigate, by the way?"

"I don't know...I Just...KNOW...Instinct from the Spirit I guess," Blake shrugs, unable to articulate how she knows when they have reached their destination.

"You will need to begin gauging your range," Goodwitch states. "This ability will likely be incredibly useful.

"Need to find out how many i can do it with at once too," Blake nods as she strains her hearing in an attempt to find where Ruby and Tasha had vanished to.

"The wind has altered...I wonder if they are the cause?" Goodwitch wonders before Blake catches sight of something dangerous and tackles the former teacher into another shadow, bringing them out some distance away.

"Apparently we've managed to make Ruby mad," Blake smirks as they witness several more chucks of destroyed tree slam into their previous location.

"It would appear her temper is a bit shorter now than back home," Goodwitch agrees.

"Incoming," Blake remarks before jumping them to safety again.

"Blake AND Goodwitch," Ruby grumbles as the tornado continues to spin around her and Tasha, several destroyed trees caught in its grip and waiting for Ruby to launch them.

"How can you hear over this?" Tasha demands, struggling not to yell.

"Easy, it's not even making noise to me," Ruby grins. "There!" she says as her head snaps around to look at the spot where Blake had just reappeared, launching several more chunks of tree at the new location.

"She's amazing," Tasha thinks watching how the untrained girl is effortlessly manipulating the winds. "It took me years to be able to do something on this scale, but she's just a baby with these powers...it would be frightening if she were not on our side in this."

"Hey, I'm going to keep up the direct attacks, you grab a couple of pieces and lob them in from overhead," Ruby instructs.

"Very well," Tasha nods, snapping her fans into position before using them to shape winds of her own to send the objects on their way.

"Uh oh," Blake mutters.

"Yes, it seems they are coordinating now," Goodwitch agrees, throwing up a shield that deflects the flying wood away from them.

"Little to the right," Ruby directs after a twitch of her ears, sending more debris off.

"So in addition to control, they bring you the sounds of your opponents, regardless of direction," Tasha grins, finally having figured out how Ruby is tracking them.

"Wind is proving to be a much more useful element than I thought it would be. I figured it would just make me faster," Ruby admits with a grin.

"A strong enough wind can drive a blade of grass through a hundred year old tree," Tasha reminds her. "No powers are useless, it is all in how you apply them."

"Well said Miss Ravenwood," Goodwitch agrees as she and Blake rise from the shadows behind them.

"You can stop throwing crap at us now," Blake grins at her team leader.

"Darn, I was just getting the hang of aiming by ear," Ruby smirks back as she tries to disperse the whirlwind around them. "Uh-Oh..." she trails off with a look of worry.

"Calm yourself and concentrate," Tasha immediately steps in before the younger girl can panic and make matters worse. "You don't simply control the winds as I do, you ARE the winds. Calm yourself, and they will follow," she instructs.

"Right," Ruby nods, doing her best to focus her mind on peaceful imagery, causing the winds to settle little by little, the debris still caught by the winds going flying in random directions away from their calm spot.

"Most impressive. I can see changing the rules on you was that proper path to take," Goodwitch compliments them.

"How did you silence Blake's gun?" Ruby asks.

"With a bit of innovation on my part," Goodwitch tells her with a hint of pride. "My semblance is much stronger now, so I can use it to do things that would have been impossible before our coming here," she says as the air begins to shimmer before her.

"You did that before..." Ruby smirks, before noticing that the air is acting strangely. "You can condense the air?" she asks in shock.

"I should have known that a wind spirit would figure it out first," Goodwitch grins as she releases her hold on the compressed air, allowing it to blow away from that point.

"A tunnel of heavy air like that would dampen the sound of the shots..." Ruby explains, trailing off as something occurs to her. "I wonder if I could manage that trick?"

"You won't know until you try, but given your earlier success with the whirlwind, I would say your odds are good," Tasha tells her with a smile.

Suddenly they are interrupted as a huge white knight cuts down several trees with a single stroke to clear a path.

"So, who wants to go mess with Yang?" Weiss grins from the monsters shoulder, Talia standing next to her looking smug.

"You are going to have to alter your style a little to effectively use the Mech," Cole tells Yang as he easily dodges her charges and leaps over her attempts to tail smash him.

"Hold STILL!" Yang growls as she spins around to face him again.

"Make me," she can just hear the smirk in his voice as he uses his free hand to wave her forward.

"RAAAGH!" she screams as the thrusters fire to power her forward, one arm cocked to deliver a punishing blow to his mechs face.

"Better, but still a long way to go," he chuckles, grabbing her shoulders as he lets her momentum tip them both over, tossing her away before pulsing his own thrusters to bounce back to his feet.

"Ooof!" she grunts as her mech lands on its face.

"Now, are you ready to start paying attention to what I'm telling you, or do you want to eat some more dirt?" Cole asks from a respectful distance away. "Or should I just shoot you in the back like an enemy would?"

"Go ahead and try it, see what it gets you," Yang growls as she starts getting the machine back on its feet.

"Okay," he shrugs, the twin buster rifle built into his shield coming to life and unleashing a star hot lance of energy at Yang's still recovering back.

Only to vanish in a swirl of energy reaction before it can impact her.

"What the hell?" he demands in surprise as Yang makes good use of his distraction to charge him again, this time getting close enough to slam him with her tail, but he manages to catch it with the shield.

"The Computer says it's called the Ray-Gee system, and it absorbs energy based attacks so i can use them to power my own weapons," Yang grins as she assumes a gunfighters pose. "Burning Vulcans!" she yells, causing the concealed machine guns on her shoulders to pop up and begin peppering Coles' mech with Dust enhanced bullets, leaving flickering flames wherever they hit.

"Now you're getting the hang of it," Cole smirks, stowing his sword, because he now knows it will just make her stronger. "But you're not the only one with guns," he adds, as his own shoulder mounted guns open up.

"Hey, I thought you were supposed to be teaching me how to drive this thing, not trying to wreck it. I can do that on my own!" Yang complains as she starts dancing around to stay out of his stream of fire.

"I am. Your evasive maneuvers are already pretty good, but you still aren't thinking three dimensionally enough," he answers.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demands, coming to a stop when he stops shooting. "Oh...this is going to suck," she mutters when his wings spread and he launches into the air, waiting for her to join him before they continue. "How do I...oh, there it is," she cuts herself off as she finds the motion and commands to trigger the flight system.

"Well, that's going to make things more difficult," Blake Smirks as they watch Yang take to the air after Cole.

"A bit," Goodwitch concedes. "But if Miss Belladonna can find Miss Blackthorn, perhaps she can convince her partner to come back down so we can allow Miss Schnee to use her surprise."

"She's over there," Ruby says pointing off to the side. "She keeps laughing at Yang's misses."

"Well, can't blame her for that," Blake grins as they watch Yang face plant into the ground.

"Charge!" Weiss orders her Knight Summons, sending it crashing through the forest to where Yang is still recovering.

"Go warn Antonia so she can keep Cole out of it!" Ruby orders.

"On it!" Blake returns as she dives into a shadow and vanishes.

"Why do I have the nagging feeling we are forgetting something?" Goodwitch mutters to herself as she watches Weiss and her Glowing summons reach Yang's downed Mech and begin attacking it with its sword.

"Where the hell did that thing come from?" Cole demands as he begins maneuvering to get a shot off that won't splash Yang.

"It's Weiss, stand down and let blondie deal with it," Antonia calls up to him on their comms.

"Well isn't that a surprise. Looks like she won't need mech training, if she can pull that out of her hat," he chuckles as he alters his maneuvers, now looking for a better view.

"We've got some other surprises too, from the other group," Antonia warns him, before Yang gets over her surprise.

Then all hell breaks loose.

"Warning! Incoming object on a VERY long rang trajectory that I can't track from my current position!" Penny suddenly calls over everyone's Scroll or Comm.

"Where are you?" Goodwitch demands, realizing what she was forgetting.

"Above you all, recording the Training for later playback," she answers. "Since I wasn't assigned any duties after our arrival, I thought I'd make myself useful."

"Get down here in case that whatever-it-is blows up!" Ruby orders, not wanting to lose her friend for a second time.

"Understood," Penny replies, suddenly flashing down and landing hard enough to generate a small crater.

"Okay, what am I looking at?" Yang demands, unable to make heads or tails of the telemetry that the Mech is showing her.

"Trouble...BIG trouble," Cole returns understanding exactly what's headed their way.

A Gundam Head.

"Mount up and scatter!" Cole orders, sending the ground bound members of the group scrambling for the cars.

"I hate it when those things show up," Talia complains as she and Antonia reach their car and take off.

"What are we dealing with?" Goodwitch demands, driving with Blake and Weiss aboard, while Penny is carrying Ruby.

"One of the other sides Mech delivery systems," Antonia answers. "Among other things," she adds under her breath.

"Looks like Yang's test drive just turned into On the Job Training," Talia adds as the Snake like Gundam Head crashes into the ground, and begins to dissolve, reforming into numerous smaller units.

"Generic "Dark Army" Drones," Cole labels the enemy for the newcomers. "More specialized ones are more trouble, but these are the cannon fodder model."

"OW!" Yang complains as several of them combine fire to blast her off her feet. "Might be Mook Class, but those shots still hurt!"

"So stop getting hit," Cole returns as he draws his beam Sword once again, before using his Buster Rifle shield to blast a path through the center of the bunch, easily eliminating half of the horde.

"Oh shut up, I can't stand off and erase them like that," she grumbles, exploding into motion, her mech becoming a blur of flashing limbs as she tears into a group of targets, each blow rending the other mech a smoking wreck.

"Not too shabby blondie," Cole grins as he wades in as well, his beam sword making short work of the drone mechs.

"GET CLEAR WE'VE GOT BIG TROUBLE!" Talia suddenly yells over the coms.

"What?!" Yang demands, spinning to look in the direction her sensors suddenly are warning her about.

"Command, this is Team CATT. We need the Kaiser, ASAP. We will try to stall the Skull as long as we can," Cole calls into the comms, recalibrated to the main army frequency.

"What the heck is THAT?!" Yang demands as the SKL version of the Mazinkaiser lands, and begins sizing the two Gundams up, while the Dark Army Drones pull back and begin to cluster up.

"THAT...is out of our weight class," Cole returns grimly. "We can't beat it, best we can do is stall it until something that can gets here."

"It can't be that tough," she scoffs, before narrowly missing getting her mechs head taken off by a rocket punch.

"Like I said," Cole continues, as the spinning forearm loops around and reattaches to the devilish looking mech. "Its armor is something we can't crack, and it's got power to spare. Our job is to stay alive until backup arrives."

"Well, that's just great!" Yang complains as she begins firing her shoulder guns at the SKL.

"I never said I liked the Plan!" Cole retorts, boosting clear as the SKL charges him, its huge sword narrowly missing taking off one of his mechs wings. "It's bigger than we are, and stronger than we are. Only advantage we have is speed, and as you just saw, it's pretty damn close to us in that too!"

"Well, we've got a few other things in our favor," Yang counters, as the SKL stabs it's sword into the ground, and pulls the twin handguns that make up its chest plate.

"Like what?" Cole demands.

"Like it's never seen me before," she grins as the larger mech unleashes a torrent of energy shots at her. "And that just gave me what I need to do some real damage."

"What?" Cole can't understand her thinking. After everything he just told her, she's still going to attack it?

"Burning...HEART!" Yang calls as her mech goes through a hadoken motion, the domed armor plate on her chest retracting and showing a orange globe that is currently raging with energy like a contained sun.

Before unleashing the torrent, guided by the mechs arms, at the SKL, which is actually staggered back a step.

"Congratulations, you just pissed her off," Cole remarks dryly as the SKL replaces it's pistols and once more takes up its sword, before pointing it skyward.

"What's THAT supposed to mean?" Yang demands, annoyed that the other mech took her biggest shot to no lasting effect.

"It means if you can't hang with the big kids, don't pick fights with them," another voice chimes in, as another mech crashes into the field. "Now, you two get out of here, and clean up that dark army crap. This is MY fight now," the voice continues, as a mech that looks an awful lot like the SKL stands back up from its landing crouch, and squares off with its darker counterpart.

"Let's go, Kaze can keep her off our backs while we finish up," Cole directs.

"Who's Kaze? Why does the one on our side look so much like the other one? And why did my best shot not do anything more than stagger it back a step?" Yang demands

"We'll explain it later, right now we've got a job to do, just like back home," he tells her, reminding her that this is really no different that wiping out Grimm packs.

"Yeah well the Grimm didn't combine and transform into bigger meaner versions back home," Yang retorts as they turn back to the cannon fodder and discover that there are only two left.

Two considerably more powerful ones.

"Crap, they still had enough numbers to fuse and evolve," Cole groans.

"Well, these things look kind of like ours, with the head antenna crest thing, and the chin thing," Yang remarks.

"Yeah, they are Gundams, just like ours...but with different skill sets," he agrees. "Warbook says that the one squaring off with you is called the Nu Gundam, watch out for the big shield looking thing, it comes apart into remote controlled blasters. This other one...Says it's the Wing Gundam...looks like a powered down version of mine. They must not have had the numbers to completely mimic us, so they focused on me as best they could and then threw what was left into yours.

"Well that's insulting," Yang growls. "Think you can keep your playmate busy while i rip this loser apart?"

"You're talking awfully big for someone who's ride time in that thing hasn't even hit an hour yet," Cole retorts with a smirk.

"Yes or no?" she asks again.

"Without a doubt," he answers.

"Then let's do this," Yang grins as her mech launches forward, slamming a series of punches into the Nu Gundam before twisting into a spin kick that knocks the other mech flying.

"Watch the funnels!" Cole wars again as the radiator fins separate and launch, homing in on her and beginning to pelt her with energy blasts.

"Watch your dance partner!" Yang shoots back as Cole narrowly avoids a shot from his opponents Beam cannon.

"Oh, you are NOT going to get another shat at that," Cole Growls, turning his attention to the Wing Gundam, and launching into a full burn thruster dash. He grabs the end of the other mechs beam gun and wrenches the barrel out of alignment, ruining it.

"That's one problem solved," he grins savagely, as the other mech draws a beam saber from the holder built into its shield.

As the Wing swing s at his head, Cole ducks low and burns the mech in half with his own Buster Rifles.

"There's a reason mine doesn't have the extended barrels out there for anyone to mess up, dumbass," he smirks as he turns back to Yang's fight.

Just in time to see her literally rip her opponent apart, before burning it away with her finishing move.

"I stand corrected, i think you've got the hang of it," Cole admits as Yang's mech resets itself after the big blast.

"And with the last of the backup gone, she predictably turns tail," Kaze chimes in, drawing their attention to the retreating form of the SKL flying off.

"Sorry we had to call you, but thanks for the response time," Cole grins, offering the larger mech a thumbs up.

"Let's go, I'll escort you lot back to the Cloak, before I head home, just in case," she answers.

"Good, Yang needs to learn how to convert her mech back into a transport," Cole smirks as he keys in an All clear signal bringing the rest to them.

"I still want some answers!" Yang reminds them.

"On the way," Cole attempts to calm her as the others land.

"Well, you survived. I suppose that's the best we could hope for on your first outing in that thing," Goodwitch remarks.

"She did more than just survive," Cole remarks over the external speakers as the mechs begin to shift back into being transports. "The control system is a good match for her style."

"I've got a few changes I want to add to it though," Yang adds as she steps down the ramp. "I want my Gauntlet guns back, the shoulder machine guns are too puny."

"Link them up, and get airborne," Kaze orders, standing Guard in the Mazinkaiser. "The only reason you guys got jumped out here is how tempting a target you made of yourselves."

"Right," Cole nods, planning to take the blame for that one.

"We are ready for lift off as soon as everyone is aboard," Penny announces.

"So please make it quick," Tasha adds.

"You heard 'em, saddle up," Cole orders. "We'll finish this stuff on the Cloak, with JNPR and the others."


	4. Chapter 4 Learning Curves part 1

*Authors Note*

for those of you confused by the OC's and general crossover stuff, if there is a response i will start adding Cast Lists to these, as well as Links to what the characters look like (if I can find them/have them) SOME of my reworked characters and originals are still lacking artwork, so in those cases, please be patient, it will happen eventually.

Now on with the show!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Well, there she is, The Cloak of Shadows," Noir states as she guides the shuttle toward the command ship.

The currently over full shuttle, if some of the passengers had been asked.

"So there is one of these for us on board?" Jeanne asks.

"Sure is kid, your own little home away from home, as well as other things," Sapphire drawls.

"And as you've seen already, a hell of a lot more comfortable than a Bullhead from back home," Raven chimes in.

"Still cramped," Nora complains, fidgeting until Renna once again distracts her by scratching her ears.

"So we will be learning to pilot these craft, as well as learning about our expanded powers in our time with you," Purrha states.

"That's the plan," Spectra agrees, strumming a cord on her Guitar/axe. "Although, you will have other things to learn, since the Spirit you got doesn't give you super elemental powers like the rest."

"Yes, the Long Tailed Lynx just improves my agility and strength...possibly my night vision, but I really haven't had a chance to test that out yet," Purrha agrees.

"Actually I was referring to your responsibilities," Spectra corrects her, pointedly looking farther back where Cinder and Emerald are sitting on the floor back to back, their hands chained between them to a ring on the deck.

"Ah, Yes...I understand from what Mistress Nektra had to say that i have quite a bit to learn in that regard," Purrha nods, blushing at her mistake.

"Yes, you do," Noir chimes in as she sets the shuttle down in the hanger bay. "You are not the first newbie to manage to acquire a Slave within a short time of your arrival here, so please trust us when we say we've seen this go wrong more often than right. You seem like you have a good heart, and folks that will call you on it when you get out of line, so I've got hope you can manage this. But be warned, while i understand that punishment may be required, I Will NOT tolerate abuse aboard my ship. I get that some people don't understand anything less than a right royal beating, but if i see either of those two start showing up like they've been used for a practice dummy, there will be questions asked, and if i don't like the answers, there will be repercussions. And depending on Nektra's assessment of any charges i bring, you could very well be joining them in that situation. Do i make myself clear?"

"Yes. And while i will admit that when i think about it for too long, there is little I would like more than to do just as you say...thinking about how they can't resist makes me think about all the innocents they hurt back on Remnant, just out of greed and a lust for power...I can't promise I won't slip and go too far...But I can swear that it won't be because casual cruelty has become an easy habit," Purrha answers, her voice telling them that she has been thinking about this more than she's let on.

"Well said kid," Raven smirks at her.

"Well, we're here, so you'd best unchain them from the floor and get them ready to go," Sapphire adds.

"Right," Purrha agrees, using the magic to release their hands from the ring, and allowing them to stand. Then she makes Emeralds Blindfold and Gag vanish.

"Gah, finally...that thing tastes nasty," Emerald complains sticking her tongue out and making faces.

"Consider it a Warning," Purrha tells her, including Cinder with a glance. "From this point on, you two will Share punishments, as a way to help insure that you will keep each other honest."

"I understand," Cinder nods.

"Well that sucks," Emerald Teases. "Guess I'll just have to keep things quiet."

"I've puzzled out quite a bit about how your semblance works," Purrha tells her coldly. "You need to actually see the person you are messing with. So unless you want that blindfold to be a permanent fixture of your wardrobe, you are going to cut the crap and start acting like you give a damn what happens to the person you gave your loyalty to, since she will ALSO be blinded because of your antics...think about it as you help unload the supplies."

"Well handled indeed," Noir commends her as they watch Emerald quickly run through the possibilities before sighing and giving in.

"Now then, you two have your orders, so come with me," Raven smirks. "You too Nora, let's help you work off some of that pent up energy."

"Okay!" the wolfgirl grins, following along at the end of the line with her tail wagging happily.

"Sapphire, can you get them rest of the settled, while I head up to the bridge and double check things?" Noir asks.

"Let's go you three," the blue foxgirl says after offering a sketchy salute to the black clad Mistress of the ship.

"I'll come along and double check what CATT and RWBY took, since they've likely been and gone already," Spectra adds.

"You mean other than their shuttle?" Noir smirks back at her as they head toward the bridge.

"Yes, other than that," the spell singer answers with a smirk of her own.

"Not too shabby," Jeanne comments after Sapphire shows them the first of the staterooms they will be using.

"Little different from the setup at Beacon," the elder Hunter tells them. "Only big enough for pairs, but not crowded by two people either."

"Well, that should work out well," Renna smirks, shooting a glance at a furiously blushing Purrha..and the delayed realization of Jeanne as to what she means.

"Oh...Yeah...It should," Jeanne mutters as suddenly a whole world of possibilities open up to her.

"Indeed," Purrha agrees, many of the same images flashing through her mind as well.

"Well, these two are already partnered up, so i suppose I'll take Nora, as usual, and you can stick the prisoners in their own room, which I imagine will be lockable from the outside," Renna continues, allowing her team mates to have their moment.

"Technically, all the rooms can be lock or unlocked from the bridge," Sapphire corrects her. "But yeah, if you really think they need it after that last warning, we can arrange for them to be locked in when not busy."

"Yes," Purrha breaks in, having caught the last bits. "We can't trust them yet. Cinder seems genuine, but Emerald is still not ready to play by the rules yet."

"Your call Red, you're in charge of them," Sapphire nods at the others assessment.

"Something I'm still rather uncomfortable about," she admits. "But I will fulfill the obligation to the best of my abilities."

"Can't really ask for more," the clue clad Sniper nods again. "You can log into the system with your Scrolls, here," she points at a terminal. "That will get you a basic floor plan so you shouldn't get too lost without being able to find your way back."

"Why only a basic one?" Renna asks.

"Because we don't need to know the particulars of where the ammunition is housed, or the engine room access points," Jeanne answers. "We are here for training, not to learn to take the place over."

"Pretty much," Sapphire agrees. "Besides, if you are still as short on trust with the prisoners as you seem, do you really want them having access to those kinds of details?"

"Point," Renna concedes. "Speaking of whom, how much did they have to off load?"

"Yeah, it's always worrisome when Nora is quiet for this long," Jeanne agrees.

"Let's find out," Sapphire nods, giving them a moment to get their maps, before heading out again.

"This would be a lot easier with a fork lift...or a robot," Emerald complains as she lugs a box of Magnum Dust rounds from the shuttle's cargo hold to the area where they were told to stack it.

"Sure it would, but then it wouldn't be a punishment," Raven smirks.

"Besides, this is easy!" Nora chimes in as she moves past with three times the load Emerald is complaining about.

"Well, not all of us can syphon power from the ships electrical system," Emerald growls under her breath as Nora moves off.

"I know, it's why I'm special!" Nora calls back.

"I did not think she could hear me," Emerald says, shocked that she was heard, and stunned that Nora isn't offended.

"They may annoy you, but they have their talents and quirks, just like you do," Cinder reminds her, the elder huntress turned prisoner/slave reminds her as she adds her own load to the pile. "Now back to it before you get caught slacking off."

"What's she going to do, spank me?" Emerald scoffs, moving only because Cinder told her to.

"That depends on if you take pleasure from it, or embarrassment," Purrha tells her with a smirk, having entered the bay in time to hear the comments.

"Ah...I'd rather not answer that on the grounds I don't want to give you more ideas?" Emerald tries to get out of the mess she's certain she's about to make worse.

"Then perhaps you should hurry back to work, before i choose to think you are slacking off," Purrah tells her, allowing a devious smile to spread onto her lips. "After all, Punishments are earned, not haphazardly doled out on a whim."

"Right," Emerald nods rapidly, before moving off as quickly as she can in the ballet boots.

"Ooh, that was slick," Raven grins as she joins the rest. "You've got potential kiddo."

"I meant what I said earlier," Purrha answers. "I want Justice for what they did. Making them serve out a sentence as slave laborers is what the law of this world decreed for them, with me as their warden, and the instrument of their punishment if they fail to do their duties. I may take momentary pleasure in their misery, but I get no joy from treating others badly."

"And that, is why you got picked to be their keeper," Raven reminds her. "Vix is a strict, but fair, ruler, and Nektra would never hand the reigns over to someone they even suspected would abuse the powers. She's got a real mad on for people that make slaves, instead of taking the willing, or training criminals."

"Wait, you have people that do that kind of thing here?" Jeanne asks, surprised.

"More than just the bad guys can get you if you let your guard down too far in this world kid," Raven nods. "And even us white hats aren't immune. Those collars of yours might keep them from hitting you with a magic whammy collar of their own, but there are other ways, most notably torture, to destroy someone's will and leave them unable to function as anything else."

"Seriously?" Cinder asks, having caught the last round of that as she moved through.

"Yes," Sapphire answers her. "We were actually in town when you all arrived because we were delivering a bunch of slavers we'd been tracking down for Nektra. Ravens Luck confounds them something fierce, so she's our best bait."

"Sure, rub it in," the scarred woman scowls. "You just WISH you looked as good as i do in that slave girl bait outfit," she finishes with a laugh.

"Hardly. I much prefer to be the backup than the bait," Sapphire counters. "After all, any time I want to get even for something you've pulled, all i have to do is wait an extra couple of minutes before I start shooting," she reminds Raven with a smirk.

"Which is why I don't act like a bitch," Raven retorts with a laugh.

"True," Sapphire grins. "But anyway, you lot will likely get assignments like that too. Just because we have a bigger overall mission, doesn't mean we can let these jerks slide."

"Agreed," Renna speaks up for the team, with the rest nodding in agreement.

"Damn right," Cinder chimes in, clearly furious over hearing all this.

"Seems this news has hit a nerve," Raven remarks.

"After all the time I spent enthralled to that monster, finding this out is not making me happy, no," she agrees.

"If we get such a mission, I will see to it you are involved," Purrha tells her. "Until then calm yourself and finish your work."

"Right...of course," she nods with a small smile after forcibly getting herself under control.

"I'm starting to think there's no acting on her part," Jeanne admits as they watch Cinder go back to lugging boxes across the bay.

"And I'm beginning to agree with you kid," Raven nods. "And I'm probably the most cynical person on this boat."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Attention! Teams CATT and RWBY had an altercation with the enemy while training, so they are being escorted back to us by the unit that went to back them up. So be prepared for some visitors," Noir warns everyone through the ships Public Address system. "And if that chrome plated bimbo damages my ship when she lands that titan on it, I'm going to be very cross indeed."

"Say what now?" Raven asks as she steps onto the bridge. "Who jumped them?"

"The SKL," Spectra answers. "Apparently they got spotted in the middle of nowhere, so someone shot a Gundam Head at them, and sent the SKL to make sure no one was left."

"And since they are coming back, that plan got shot in the ass," Raven smirks.

"Kids put up a pretty good fight," Spectra nods. "Seems Yang did a good job setting up her mech, and Cole was in the other one. They tore up the drones pretty good before Skully showed up, and as soon as they knew it was her, Cole was calling for Kaze to back them up. After that it was a game of keep away until Kaze got out there, at which point they finished off the drones. And without the drones, Skulltara basically said "not worth my time" and took off."

"Okay, so we need to figure out how they found them out there, and what we can do to keep it from happening again," Raven states.

"Most likely it was magic, so there is little we can do to counter it in the field," Noir sighs, her Dust Magery making her the unofficial expert on magic of all types among them. "The ship, like all of our larger instillations, is warded to they can't scry on us, or gate in forces, but there isn't much we can do to stop it from happening in the field, unless we have one of the Piomancers with us who knows those kinds of wards."

"Sounds like it might be a good idea to sort out the Dust Mages from the current group and have them do a bit of cross training, see if any of them have the affinity to pick that stuff up," Raven suggests.

"I'll start checking over the list, but off the top of my head, the only likely ones are Glynda and Weiss, maybe Winter," Spectra agrees.

"So any injuries among them?" Raven asks.

"No, Penny seems to have an Exceptional sensor array for such a small mech, and gave them plenty of warning," Noir answers.

"Good, that's going to be a big bonus to them down the line," Raven nods. "I think I'm going to help out CATT with their group, and leave you three to handle JNPR, and the extras."

"At least get them set up with their initial mech designs before you jump ship," Noir sighs.

"Oh, when it comes to that, I'm planning to have them train with RWBY, while I and whoever CATT has picked for that day run them ragged," Raven grins. "I'm not so much ducking out as making sure the best qualified mech jockey is running that particular show."

"Fair enough," Spectra grins, knowing the newcomers are going to be in for it. "Sapphire and I can help the rest of CATT with the rest, maybe set up some team competitions."

"Friendly competitions should work pretty well with both groups," Raven nods.

"Good, now get on it. I'll send word back to Evenost that we are changing the training arraignments a bit," Noir smirks, before getting to work.

"You heard the Captain...or is it Admiral today? I can never keep track," Raven chuckles as they head out.

"As we are back to teaching, it's Headmistress, smartass," Noir shoots back before the hatch closes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Nice to see you guys are taking this seriously," Raven remarks when they find JNPR in one of the larger training rooms, with Nora vs everyone else to give them a chance to get used to their new reflexes.

"Well, Nothing makes you want to get out of the way more than having explosives being shot at you," Jeanne quips before leaping a surprising distance clear of one of the shots.

"Indeed, although being able to reconfigure the room into an obstacle course to go with it would be of more help," Renna adds, spinning into a crouch as a shot flies over her head to explode behind her, before corkscrewing back to her feet without missing a beat.

"Yes, Renna and I are a bit eager to test our improved agility," Purrha agrees, charging forward and actually knocking a shell away before it explodes. "And that is a point," she smiles as she touches Nora's shoulder with her sword.

"So what has Nora been doing for practice, besides shooting at you all?" Sapphire asks.

"Nora, light yourself up," Jeanne orders.

"Right!" she grins manically as she converts her launcher into a hammer and holds it up, electricity suddenly arcing from the lights to strike it. "Who's first?" she grins as lightning plays across her skin.

"...her semblance let's her power up from electricity, right?" Raven asks.

"Yup," Jeanne grins.

"Okay, then she's NEVER to do that while aboard the ship again," Raven orders. "Noir is going to have a fit when she finds out you are sucking on her power grid like a greedy baby with a fresh bottle.

"Heh, you should have known they wouldn't let you use your powers without permission," Emerald sneers.

"Why are these two sitting around?" Spectra asks.

"Because we didn't trust them to be shooting at us...or that we would behave shooting at them," Renna admits.

"Fair enough, but they need to learn their new and/or amped up powers as well," Sapphire tells them. "So as far as training goes, there is no prisoners/team thing, you are all in it together."

"Understood," Purrha nods, causing the pairs clothes to reappear. "You can have your clothes for training, but your other outfits remain under them," she tells them.

"I never thought I would be so happy for pants!" Emerald nearly squeals as she adjusts her clothes.

"Thank you," Cinder tells Purrha.

"As she said, you train with us, and it is stupid to penalize you simple protections while doing so," Purrha brushes the thanks off. "Once training is done for the day, things return to as they were."

"I understand," Cinder nods.

"Now that that is out of the way, the RWBY group is coming back to join up with us, and will be doing joint training with you," Raven tells them. "So, we need to get you lot set up with your Mech selections, so when the time comes we can get started. Apparently Yang has a head start on you all, and you know she's going to exploit it for all she can."

"Lead on," Jeanne nods.

"To your shuttle, I'll walk you through the process," Raven nods as she leads the way.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Well that was an eventful day," Jeanne smirks as she and Purrha tiredly enter their room.

"Yes, and then RWBY arrived," Purrha quips, causing them both to chuckle. "I still can't believe how life like, yet still artificial Mazinkaze is though."

"Yeah, in some ways she's more human than Penny is, but in others, even more weird," Jeanne agrees as she plops down on her bed. "Oh, I forgot to ask, did you get your responsibilities settled in?"

"Yes, Sapphire was going to escort them to their room, and inform them they would be locked in unless there was an emergency," Purrha nods, moving over to a dresser and checking inside. "Hmm...it seems this one is mine, it already has duplicates of my armor and a what seems to be duplicates of some of my clothes from Beacon...although why they think I would need my ball gown i have no idea," she remarks as she removes the neatly folded crimson material. Then she opens another drawer and blushes.

She removes a single item from that one before closing it, and keeping it concealed turns back to Jeanne who is inspecting her own dresser on the other side.

"Looks like they managed to alter my stuff to match up with what I look like now too," the former boy nods, before jerking her head around when she feels a tap on her shoulder. "What's up?" she asks, noting how solemn Purrha seems.

"Making amends for past mistakes," she answers with a sad smile, before pulling the bunnygirl into an embrace and kissing her with all her heart.

Jeanne stiffens for an instant in surprise, before returning the affection in kind, only breaking the embrace when the two realize they still need to breathe.

"Well, that's something to guarantee pleasant dreams," She smirks at her red haired companion.

"Sit down, I want to say something," Purrha tells her, leading her back to the bunny's bed.

"This better not be you planning to do something stupid and suicidal again," Jeanne warns, only half-jokingly.

"No, it's to remind me to never do something like that again," Purrha answers, dropping to her knees as she snaps a leash onto the back of her identibadge, and holds the other end out across both of her hands for Jeanne to take. "I want to swear myself to you, in all ways. I never want to be separated from you again, and i want this to be a constant reminder that you...You are MY dream come true."

Jeanne sits there stunned for a moment before reaching past the Leash for Purrha's collar to unsnap it. She then takes the leash and throws it across the room.

"I want the girl who saw something in me worth helping. The one who even though it must have killed something inside her, gave me some of the best advice I've ever been given. The one who cared so much about me that she sent me flying in a rocket locker away from her so I couldn't stop her from picking a fight she couldn't win on her own," she tells her firmly, tipping her head up so she can look her in the eyes. "Not some stupid slave girl that has to do whatever I say, despite how sexy she might look in that get up you've got the other two wearing," she finishes with a lopsided smirk.

"Why not have the best of both worlds?" they suddenly hear, before Leona appears sitting on Purrha's bed, dressed as a maid.

"What do you mean?" Purrha asks, annoyed that her moment with Jeanne is getting interrupted, but curious none the less as to what the chaotic spirit has in mind.

"You two knuckle heads love each other, right?" Leona asks with a smirk.

The pair look at each other, before turning back to her and nodding in unison.

"Then I've got an offer you'd be a couple of idiots to turn down," she grins as she hops to her feet. "For a limited time only, I'm willing to grant you two crazy kids three wishes to share between you. You can't counteract one another's wish, but you can modify them," she tells them as her form grows hazy, and her lower half turns to smoke, while her upper body becomes more human, and less clothed.

"Yes," Purrha agrees instantly, with Jeanne thinking about it for an extra moment before joining in agreement.

"Okay, now you've already pledged yourselves to each other better than most marriage vows, so how about i forge a link between your minds, so you can speak to each other regardless of distance?" she asks.

"Done!" they agree.

"And I Want to be her slave girl," Purrha adds quickly.

"...Only in our private quarters," Jeanne counters, annoyed but accepting.

"And so it shall be," Leona grins as she floats toward them and takes both of their identibadges in hand, where they begin to glow.

"Have fun," she grins as she releases them and floats back, before vanishing in a puff of blue smoke.

"Well that was different," Jeanne thinks.

"You're telling me," Purrha agrees.

"Except i didn't," Jeanne grins.

"Riiiiight," Purrha thinks back at her, causing the both of them to laugh.

"And because you want it so bad," Jeanne smirks, she snaps her fingers, causing Purrha to gasp as she's suddenly dressed like Cinder and Emerald, but in Black compared to their red and green.

"And what do you wish of me my mistress?" Purrha asks seductively as she crawls up onto Jeanne's bed to snuggle against her.

"Oh, this, that, and the other thing," Jeanne answers mischievously as she thinks real hard about a few things that bring a blushing grin to both their faces.

"As My Mistress commands, so shall it be," Purrha literally purrs as she quickly turns out the lights before climbing back into bed, Jeanne having removed her clothing in record time.

Nora opens Jeanne and Purrha's room and is taking a deep breath to utter her wake up yell when she registers the red hair and bunny ears in the same bed, and her brain shifts gears with a mental grinding of gears and squealing of tires, as she carefully backs out of the room and reseals the door. Producing a sticky note pad and a pen she quickly scribbles out "Do Not Disturb" and carefully places it on the door, before heading down to the Prisoners room and barging in.

"Get up you two, I need your help with something," she orders, finding Cinder sitting on her bed, while her voice wakes Emerald.

"As slaves or fighters?" Cinder asks.

"Both, so grab your stuff and get dressed," Nora answers as she steps back out to wait for them.

"Wonder what's going on with her," Emerald groans. "She's not acting like her normal clueless fluff brained self."

"Well, get your ass dressed and we can find out," Cinder tells her, pulling her dress on.

"Right," Em huffs, throwing off the blankets and grabbing her clothes and weapons.

"If anyone from the outside tries to open this door, you smash them," Nora orders, as she takes up a guardsman position in front of Jeanne and Purrha's room.

"Why?" Emerald asks, while Cinder merely moves to the right of the door and leans against the wall with her head down, confident that Emerald will get answers from Nora.

"Because Purrha is your current Mistress, and doesn't need to be disturbed right now," Nora retorts, causing Emerald to blink in confusion.

"Isn't smashing people a bit excessive?" Emerald asks.

"Would you prefer I demonstrate on you?" Nora asks with her trademark "leg breaking grin" plastered on her face as her weapon shifts to hammer mode.

"Not particularly," Emerald answers nervously as she slowly backs away with her hands up.

Suddenly the pieces fall together for Cinder.

"She...They...They finally got their chance to be together...the chance that I destroyed back on Remnant," she says quietly.

"Yes, and that is why you owe them. No one interrupts them until they come out on their own," Nora orders again.

"Until someone who can overrule you says otherwise," Cinder nods in acceptance of the order.

"Anyone tries that gets to talk to the hammer," Nora smirks.

"So guard duty?" Emerald asks Cinder.

"Guard duty, and take it seriously. This is important," Cinder confirms.

"There you are...why are you guarding the door instead of getting them up?" Renna asks as she rounds the corner and spies the trio.

"They got together-together last night," Nora answers her.

"Oh...well Raven isn't going to be happy, she's looking for us," Renna returns, understanding what Nora means, but trying to balance it against responsibilities.

"Yes, I am, so get your tails down to the hanger, you lot are facing off with the RWBY's during some training missions," Raven says as he approaches from the other end of the hall.

"Jeanne and Purrha are...busy sleeping in," Nora answers. "And no one is interrupting them, not even you Professor Grimwulff."

"Interrupting... oh geez...okay..." Raven mutters, quickly putting enough of the situation together to start dealing with it.

"How far are you willing to go to enforce this?" Raven asks the wolfgirl.

"Try me," she answers, her disturbing grin back.

"Please don't...she scares me when she looks like that," Emerald whines.

"Okay...how's this...ONE of you stays on guard duty, but the rest get their tails down to the hanger for training," Raven offers a compromise.

"Go, I've got this," Cinder tells Nora. "Like you said, I owe them."

Nora stares into her visible eye for a moment, weighing her words and determination before nodding and grabbing Emerald.

"Let's go, we have work to do now," she says, giving Emerald a shove.

"Hey, easy, I'm cooperating here!" Emerald squawks.

"I haven't forgotten you tricked yang into smashing your punk buddy mercury, or that you tricked Pyrrha into killing Penny," Nora growls at her. "If not for the fact it would make Purrha look bad, I'd launch you down the hall with my hammer."

"Right, cooperating so that doesn't happen, see?" Emerald yelps, picking up her pace.

"You have a future in motivational speaking," Renna deadpans.

"You really think so?" Nora perks up at that, completely missing the inherit sarcasm.

"Let's go," she sighs, while Raven just follows on behind them shaking her head and trying not to laugh.

"I don't know why you hate them so much Em," Cinder snickers to herself. "They can be quite entertaining."

"Maybe it's because she was going on what you were showing her at the time," Leona whispers in her ear, fading in behind Cinder, with her hands on the phoenixgirls shoulders so she can whisper in her ear.

Cinders response is to unleash an envelope of flames around herself that causes the catgirl to skip back or get burned.

"I assume you have a reason for being here," Cinder states coldly, a ball of flame flaring to life in her hand. "Try to enter that room, and i set your tail on fire."

"Oh, no worries there," Leona grins widely. "I had my talk with them last night. Today I'm here for you."

"So?" Cinder sneers. "I'm not going to try and get out of this until they think I've repaid my debt...even if I feel like I'll never be able to make up for everything i did."

"And that's the kicker, right there," Leona nods as she steps away from the door, which causes Cinder to snuff the fireball. "You genuinely want to make amends, but no one will trust you, because of what you did while under Salem's influence. Conversely you can't even forgive yourself for what was effectively beyond your control."

"Because I remember every blasted bit of it!" Cinder hisses at her, only her desire to not disturb Purrha and Jeanne keeping her from screaming at Leona. "I might not have been thinking straight, but my memory works just fine."

Looking at all the self-loathing on display, Leona nods to herself.

"This was actually a test from the boss," she confides. "One you passed. You were actually brought here because it was thought you were Salems top lieutenant."

"I was...just not a willing one it turns out," she mutters in disgust.

"True," Leona grins. "But that means something to the boss. He's not going to overturn your punishment, that would be a slap in the face to everyone you hurt, and to your own guilt over things," she continues. "But he is going to be passing along what is going on with you...or I should say I'm going to be passing it along, since i do his ground work for him with this mess going on."

"Why?" Cinder demands.

"Because he respects wanting to make it right, even if that is nearly impossible," she answers. "You could have fought back when you got dropped in front of them, but you chose to surrender. You could have put up a fight when they sentenced you, but you just accepted it. You could be like your little gutter trash friend and try to jerk their chains at every turn, but you are playing it straight and narrow. He respects that, and what it takes to follow that path."

"That doesn't explain why you're going to tell others," Cinder reminds her.

"Sure it does. He's not the ONLY one who respects that kind of thing," she grins, before fading out again.

"She's really annoying," Cinder snorts, before returning to her previous spot by the door.

"I know, it's fun that way!" she hears, before receiving a slap on her rear.

"I'm going to set your tail on fire next time you show up," Cinder growls, only to hear fading laughter.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"I'd say morning, but it seems someone let us sleep that away," Purrha grins impishly when she notices Jeanne's eyes flutter open.

"Great, there go all my plans to not be considered an idiot this time around," she sighs, before reaching up to scratch at the base of Purrha's left ear.

"Oh...Nora's right, that does feel good," she literally begins to purr, snuggling in closer.

"As much fun as it would be to pick up where we passed out," Jeanne chuckles, switching to smoothing Purrha's hair back from her face, "we need to get out there and get to work."

"If we must," she sighs in resignation, pushing away from Jeanne so they can both get out of bed.

"We must," the bunnygirl nods, before flashing a wicked little smirk. "But on the other hand, no one said we couldn't play again tonight. We just need to remember to set an alarm."

"Right," Purrha nods with a grin, thinking of all the things they could get up to.

"Pervert," Jeanne laughs giving her rear a slap before it's out of reach.

"Only when it involves you," Purrha grins back, thinking very hard about an image of her ravishing the bunnygirls breasts with her tongue.

"Later, work now," she hears whisper through her mind, causing her to see why Jeanne sounds so distracted and seeing that she's focused on getting dressed.

Once the pair are ready, Purrha opens the door, and they step out.

"Well, I hope you two had fun, because Grimwulff is fit to be tied," Cinder tells them.

"How bad is it?" Jeanne sighs.

"Well, she's not planning to separate you...even she's not crazy enough to think her luck will make that stick...or keep your pet wolf from looking for revenge on your behalf," Cinder answers.

"We don't have a pet wolf," Purrha tells her coldly.

"Poor wording on my part. Your wolfgirl teammate was quite adamant that you not be disturbed, and threatened to have a gunfight in the halls to make sure you got to have your time without interruption," Cinder corrects herself and explains.

"Nora did WHAT!?" Jeanne squawks.

"She seems to have barged in on you planning a wakeup call, saw the two of you "together-together" in her words, and then came to get Emerald and Myself, and the three of us stood guard until Grimwulff showed up. Some fast talking on her part got the rest to go to training, while I stayed on watch," she continues.

"Which is the current situation," Purrha nods.

"Yes. so we should probably go find out what we've been missing while you two have been making up for the time I cost you," Cinder nods, pushing away from the wall.

"Thank you," Jeanne tells her.

"Don't..." Cinder trails off. "I still remember the look on your face when I killed the Fall Maiden...Like I told the wolf, I owed you this, because I ruined it back on Remnant."

And with that, she walks off.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey guys!" Ruby greets the three as she just appears in front of them as they enter the bay. "Glynda asked me to keep an eye out for you. She's got your assignments," she explains, before vanishing in a cloud of rose petals again.

"Some things never change," Jeanne grins at Purrha.

"Be thankful for that," she laughs back.

"I am," Cinder allows herself a slight smile, before edging past the pair to find Goodwitch.

"Ah, Cinder, We needed you to pit your flames against Weiss's Ice," Goodwitch tells her. "As you are both the same type of spirit, we expect that the only differences in your power levels will be due to experience."

"Understood. Where is she?" Cinder nods her acceptance of the assignment.

"Below, with the rest. It's much safer to conduct their training off the ship," she smirks.

"Then why was Ruby up here waiting for us?" Purrha wonders.

"Miss Rose has discovered a new facet of her wind powers," Goodwitch grins. "in a nutshell, she IS the wind...and the wind is everywhere. Once she discovered this, i asked her to make periodic checks for you and to direct you to me if she found you."

"Wait, she can be anywhere?" Cinder asks, shocked at the possibilities.

"No, I'm actually EVERYWHERE," Ruby chirps from directly behind her, vanishing by the time she turns around and popping back up next to Goodwitch. "I just have to focus on where I want to be, and I really am!" she grins.

"That means if you actually get hit, it's your own fault, and we all get to be mad at you for letting yourself get hurt," Purrha tells her.

"Why do you sound like Yang?" Ruby smirks, getting the rest, even Cinder, to laugh.

The shuttles are already below, so it's either landing strategies, or riding a whirlwind," Goodwitch tells them.

"What are we jumping into?" Jeanne asks, not knowing if the ship had moved to a new location while they were indisposed.

"Forest...Not unlike the Emerald forest back home all considered. I don't know about ruins though," Goodwitch answers. "Something else I'll need to be looking into...this new need to know everything can be quite irritating at times," she sighs.

"Hey, at least you don't have to unlearn a lifetime of behavior because your body is completely different now," Jeanne smirks at her. "I'd gladly trade you annoyances."

"Thank you, no, I think the amount of testosterone a spirit that prefers male forms would dump into the system would be far worse," she smirks back.

"It's nice to hear you in a good mood Professor. You always seemed so short on tolerance back at Beacon," Purrha remarks.

"Because i usually was," she laughs. "You lot have no concept of the amount of grief the students as a whole put me through, constantly rebuilding what you destroyed, the cleanup after your little food fight...the amount of concentration that took to make it go that seamlessly is considerable. and then Yang dropped back in...it was a good thing for the lot of you that Ozpin was there, or else I'd have likely flung the lot of you into the Emerald Forest."

"Once was enough, thanks," Jeanne gulps, remembering the terror of being launched into the forest with no warning...and no idea of how to save herself from the fall. Then she smiles as she remembers who it was that saved her, and what came of that. "It' a tough act to follow, and given what i got out of the first one, I really don't need an encore," she grins, pulling Purrha into a one armed hug to signify her meaning.

"Well Said, Miss Arc," Goodwitch smiles at Purrha's reaction to both the words and hug.

"So you guys want a ride? I've been working on controlling this stuff since yesterday, and I'm improving really fast!" Ruby grins at them as Goodwitch gets back to her holoscreens.

"Sure. IF something goes wrong, we can just resort to saving ourselves," Purrha grins back at her, after sharing looks with Cinder and Jeanne to gauge their acceptance of the offer.

"Pff, like THATs going to happen," Ruby waves off the concern. "C'mon! The hanger deck is still open, since there isn't anything around here big enough to be a threat at this height."

The three follow the spirit of the wind to the edge of the deck. "So now what?" Jeanne asks.

"We jump," Ruby grins as a huge gust of wind knocks them off the deck.

Ruby uses the wind to herd the group together on the way down before a massive updraft slows their descent.

"Okay, you guys are on your own from here," Ruby tells them as the ground continues to approach at a much slower rate than normal.

Spotting Weiss riding on the shoulder of her Summoned Knight, Jeanne thinks at Purrha, "Give me a boost," while visualizing her plan.

"Done," Purrha thinks back as she uses her Polarity to get a grip on Jeanne's armor and sling her at the armored titans back.

"You two discover some new synergy for planning?" Cinder asks with a raised eyebrow after Jeanne is launched without a word.

"Something like that," Purrha grins, before pulling her shield around and angling herself for a treetop landing.

"Always the hard way with some people," Cinder smirks, as she points both hands at the forest floor and unleashes her flames, the torrent acting as a counter force, and allowing her to descend slowly on a pillar of flame. Snorting in contempt at the inferno around her, she exercises her command over fire, instantly snuffing all the flames. After taking a moment to insure that they will remain out, she heads in the direction she had last seen Weiss.

XXXXXXXXX

"Tag! You're it!" Weiss hears before her Knight is knocked forward, stumbling a few steps and nearly unseating her from her perch.

"What the?!" he cries as she scrambles for balance as her Summon recovers. Looking around she spots Jeanne in a crouch, before the blond bunnygirl flips her a little salute and ducks into the underbrush.

"This is Weiss, Jeanne is out here now, so Purrha's not going to be far behind," she says into her scroll as she begins searching for the one she deems to be the bigger threat.

"I'll go rabbit hunting," Yang answers.

"Sorry, but Goodwitch considers my new powers to be cheating, so you're on your own for this one partner," Ruby tells Weiss from the Summons other shoulder, before she vanishes again.

"That's alright, I don't think they are properly prepared for what I can do now," Weiss smirks to herself.

"I'm not allowed to fight, Professor Goodwitch says it would be cheating for me to participate in this that way," Ruby says as she pops up behind Purrha.

"Okay, so what did you need?" she asks, relaxing slightly, and making sure to keep Jeanne in her thoughts so that she can hear what Ruby has to say.

"Weiss is hunting you, and Yang is after Jeanne. I figured you'd want to know, because she's probably going to need the help. You know Jeanne," Ruby admits sheepishly.

"I do, and better than you it seems," Purrha smiles as she gets images of Jeanne's plan for dealing with the blond brawler. "She's got this one, leaving me free to help Cinder with Weiss."

"Oh, I forgot she was supposed to be Weiss's main opponent!" Ruby squeaks, turning to vanish again.

"Wait!" Purrha calls, making her turn back. "Who is in our mech, and where is the other?"

"Oh! Nora won the mech draw, and I haven't checked on Renna lately, so I don't know just now...same for Emerald now that I think about it, which could be a problem," Ruby admits. "Oh, and Penny is helping with the mech stuff, so she's not part of what you're up to with this part of this."

"What is Team CATT doing?" Purrha asks.

"Looking for the best time to ambush both sides," Ruby grins, before vanishing.

"Ruby probably doesn't realize it, but there is a little gust of wind and a whiff of roses when she appears and vanishes," Purrha thinks with a smug little grin.

"Got it," Jeanne grins, hunting for the others.

"Hey, does this mean I found a pair of lucky rabbit's feet?" Jeanne hears, before she throws herself away from the voice out of reflex. "Whoa there bunny, I'm not even attacking you yet!" Yang yelps, startled by the reaction.

"Sorry, but since I know how much you outclass me in strength, it's kind of dumb to let you get close, you know?" Jeanne admits sheepishly.

"Okay, I can see that," Yang admits. "So, do you really want to try this, or do you want to just surrender?"

Hunkering down behind her shield, Jeanne smirks and answers, "I thought I'd give it a try."

"Even knowing anything you hit me with is just going to make me stronger?" Yang asks, taking up a loose ready stance, since she doesn't really see Jeanne as a real challenge.

"Yup," Jeanne grins as her eyes begin to glow. "Stomping her foot, she uses her new powers for the first time, sending a crack out toward Yang that rapidly widens into a chasm that has her diving to the side so as to not be swallowed up by it.

"Holy crap that was close," Yang pants, climbing back to her feet, and looking back and forth between Jeanne and the crevasse in shock.

"Sorry, but you are my first time. My apologies if I get a little too rough with you, but I figure your semblance means you can take it better than anyone else can," Jeanne quips as the chasm reseals itself.

"Oh, fuck me," Yang mutters, thankful that the rest of her team isn't here to see her getting taken down a peg by what they had all considered the weakest of them.

"Well, If it's an open offer, We'll have to see how Purrha feels about adding you in some night," Jeanne continues to joke, hearing Purrha laugh in her mind at that one and agree if Yang is really willing.

"Oh, are you going to be one of those really chatty fighters?" Yang asks. "I really don't know if I can handle you acting like Neon," she admits.

"...I don't think I could even come close to trying to be that much of a chatterbox," Jeanne answers after a moment of thought. "Nora might be able to, but that's just...I'd annoy MYSELF!" she admits.

"Okay, I can handle a little banter then," Yang grins in relief. "Let's go bunny, show me what ya got," she finishes, making a "bring it" gesture as she gets ready for a real fight.

"Don't mind if I do," Jeanne grins back, eager to test herself without worrying about actually hurting the other person more than bumps and scrapes.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"There you are," Cinder whispers to herself as she finally tracks down Weiss.

"Goodwitch said to tell you that first you have to get rid of her titan, then you can get on with the regular challenge," Ruby announces from a tree branch behind her.

"You, little one, were a handful before, this new trick of yours is going to make you a nightmare in a fight," Cinder smiles over her shoulder, letting Ruby see the actual pleasure in her eye. "And I understand the conditions. Am I allowed to ask you to find Emerald and the green cat to help me with the first part, or am I being tested as well?"

"Uh, just a sec and I'll check for you," Ruby returns before vanishing. "Test," she suddenly answers from right next to Cinder.

"So be it," Cinder nods at the conditions. "Can I ask you to do a bit of scouting for me?"

"I can do that!" Ruby grins.

"Then I need some sandy ground, or some naturally occurring crystals," Cinder tells her. "If I'm going to fight both of them, I need something besides fire."

"On it!" Ruby declares before she vanishes.

"This should be interesting," Cinder smirks to herself. "I'm the more experienced, but her abilities are formidable...and spirit powers are on par with one another...Goodwitch certainly set me an interesting task with this one."

"I found a spot, but I don't know if you'll want it," Ruby reports a moment later.

"Why?" Cinder asks, still trailing after Weiss as her titan maneuvers through the forest.

"Riverbank," Ruby answers simply.

"Ah," Cinder says in understanding. "Well, I suppose granting her the field advantage will equalize my experience," she sighs. "How far?"

"Weiss should be reaching it in a few minutes, so if you hurry you can catch her there," Ruby answers, before vanishing again.

"Let the games begin," Cinder smiles to herself as she picks up her pace.

XXXXXXXX

"This would be a lot more fun if I knew what I could get away with," Emerald mutters to herself as she continues trailing the females of Team CATT as they Hunt the RWBY's and JNPRs.

"Consider it as the same rules as the tournament," Purrha whispers in her ear, smirking when the snake girl scrambles away in surprise.

"How did you do that? How the heck did you even find me out here?!" Emerald squeaks as she spins around.

"I can track your collar anywhere, remember that," Purrha tells her, before checking to make certain the CATTs hadn't heard them. "SO now that you have rules of engagement, do you have a plan?"

"Well, if it doesn't make you too squeamish, i can trick one of them into attacking the other two," She answers, smirking at the redhead.

"No, we are supposed to be training our new abilities, not ignoring them in favor of those already mastered," Purrha answers.

"...I'm not sure I even know HOW to use my new powers," Emerald surprises herself by admitting.

"Then you need to calm your mind, and focus on what you have become," Purrha tells her. "Focus on the snake that has joined with you. Once you can do that, you can question it, and it will answer. It's probably been waiting for you," she adds with a smirk, before gesturing for Emerald to follow. "We'll find you a safe spot for your commune, and then I will engage. Once you have your answers, join me. I will need the help. Even with my newly enhanced agility and stealth, i will be hard pressed against the three of them. Tasha especially will be a difficult opponent."

"Her semblance is useless in a fight, and she's close to mid-range only, your rifle alone outclasses her," Emerald shoots back. At Purrha's questioning look, she snorts and adds, "We were scouting you all, remember?"

"Then clearly you should be well aware that unlike her sister, Tasha utilizes a large amount of Wind control dust infused into her clothing and weapons, and her unarmed fighting skills are quite good as well," Purrha retorts.

"Of course, but since you have the range on her, how is she going to be that big a threat?" Emerald doesn't get it.

"You may have worked in a team for your part of the plan in the tournament, but you really don't think about teamwork unless it's forced, do you?" Purrha sighs.

"Shit, the one with the monster tits is a sniper, and her twin likes to make shit explode," Emerald facepalms at having missed the obvious.

"Indeed, which means while I'm avoiding them at range, Tasha can close to where she is most effective, leaving me in a large amount of trouble," Purrha nods.

"A bit less now, i think," they hear from above, before Renna drops in next to them.

"This is starting to seem like a fair fight," Emerald grins.

"Not that you'd know much about one of those," Purrha snorts.

"Hey!" Emerald complains. "Just because i happen to be better at head games doesn't mean I've never gotten my hands dirty."

"We know, it's why you are a prisoner, remember?" Renna reminds her.

"Just when I was starting to forget that part and focus on the job at hand..." Emerald sneers.

"Ren, can your new powers give her a secure place to speak to her spirit?" Purrha asks.

"Let us find out," Renna answers, her eyes beginning to glow as she looks around, before spotting a few trees close enough for her purposes. "Over there," she points.

As they watch, underbrush grows up along both trees, with vines beginning to drape down before reaching between them. In moments, there is a nearly invisible blind awaiting use.

"Now that can be a really handy trick," Emerald admits, as she looks the place over, and noting that it's even large enough on the inside for her new tail to not stick out the back.

"Then we'll leave you to it. We have another team to deal with," Purrha nods, as she and Renna take to the trees.

"I know she's a cat now, but how the hell does she play in the trees like that with these stupid ballet boots on?" Emerald wonders before entering the blind.

"Do YOU have a plan?" Renna asks as they move along the larger branches.

"Not really what I would call a plan, more like a few ideas," she admits.

"Well, I can try to entrap them with my new powers. That little bit back there went better than i expected it to," Renna confides.

"Focus on Tasha, she's the most dangerous up close," Purrha instructs. "I'll try and keep the other two occupied until you are free to assist. Your second target should be Antonia. Talia's lack of forethought means trying to predict her is going to be problematic, so just double teaming her will be best."

"Right," Renna nods before pulling up short. "They are close...one of them is smashing the underbrush," she says, her eyes closed as she concentrates on her new powers.

Then a sniper round splinters the branch they are standing on.

"Hello ladies! Wonderful day for a fight, isn't it?" Antonia calls up with a smirk.

"Not that it's going to be much of a fight," Talia grins, as she levels her launcher at them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX


	5. Chapter 5 Learning Curves part 2

"Okay bunny, what else can we do?" Jeanne mutters as she and Yang circle one another at a respectable distance. The spirits answer doesn't come in words, instead seeming to Jeanne like a series of ideas of how to use her powers. "Oh, I like that one," she grins impishly as Yang (predictably) loses patients first, and begins to bombard Jeanne with long range shots.

"We fighting or walking laps here?" Yang demands in between blasts.

"You tell me," Jeanne answers as a pair of boulders pull themselves free of the ground behind her and go flying toward Yang.

"When they talk about people Rocking Your World, I don't think that's what they had in mind," Yang deadpans.

"Probably not," Jeanne agrees, before causing the ground under Yang's feet to suddenly collapse.

"Hey!" Yang yells in surprise as she falls. Unable to catch the lip above, she forces her arms and legs out into the sides of the hole, arresting her fall and wedging herself into place. "Well, this sucks," she grumbles, beginning her chimney climb back to the surface.

Only to find that her hands and feet, formerly sunken into soft dirt, and now trapped in solid rock.

"Consider yourself bested Yang Xaio Long," Jeanne beams at her as she causes the rocky prison holding Yang captive to rise back to the surface, with the hole filling itself in once she reaches the top.

"Let me go you dumb bunny!" Yang snarls, smoke wafting from her nose as she struggles, her eyes having long since shifted to red.

"Nope. I never actually hit you, so you didn't get to power up very much, which means you don't have the strength to break that rock," Jeanne grins at her.

"Wanna bet?" Yang growls as she starts slamming her tail against the uprights holding her in place.

"Yes," Jeanne answers as Yang's tail is suddenly trapped in its own rocky prison, the damage done to the uprights quickly repairing itself as Jeanne guides the power. "Geez, I have a lot more respect for how Glynda repairs things now," she mutters, not having realized the concentration involved in fusing broken things back together.

"Ragh!" Yang yells as she throws everything she has at the uprights in an attempt to break free.

To no avail.

"Okay, you got me," she finally admits.

"Great. Now, so I don't have to search you and make both of us uncomfortable, where is your Scroll?" Jeanne asks.

"Inside pocket, Left side of my jacket, why?" Yang asks as Jeanne carefully pulls out the indicated side and removes the device.

"Because I'm going to trigger your locator so we can find you later," Jeanne answers, activating the beacon before putting the item back. "There. Now then, I need to go find the rest of my team. See ya!" she calls as she runs off.

Shocked, Yang can't speak for a moment, actually allowing Jeanne to duck back into the forest before beginning to yell, "You dumb bunny! You can't leave me hanging like this!"

"Sorry sis, but it sure looks like she can," Ruby giggles as she pops up in front of Yang.

"Get me out of this, it's embarrassing enough knowing that I got beat by Jeanne," Yang demands.

"I'm sorry Miss Xaio Long, but that's not going to happen," Goodwitch answers from the Scroll Ruby is holding out.

"Why not?!" Yang demands.

"Because this is a lesson for you," Goodwitch returns. "I assume you went into your battle overconfident because you knew how much better of a fighter you are than Jeanne. You utterly failed to even consider her new powers, and as I can clearly see she used them to great effect against you. Therefore you get to hang there and review your fight and consider what you could have done differently to have avoided this."

"How am I supposed to fight her when she can literally yank the ground out from under me?" Yang demands. "It's not like I can fly. I need something to stand on!"

"An excellent question," Goodwitch agrees. "I look forward to hearing the answer you come to," Glynda finishes before hanging up.

"Sorry sis, but you know as well as I do it's not a good idea to counter her orders," Ruby tells her. And sorry for this too," she grins impishly as she snaps a quick picture of her sister hung out to dry.

"RUBY! YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Yang screams as Ruby vanishes.

* * *

"Where are you lot?" Weiss grumbles as her Titan breaks through the foliage to emerge onto the riverbank. "I can hardly practice my abilities if I can't find anyone to fight!"

"Then allow me to save you some trouble," Cinder calls as dozens of glass projectiles form before her, proceeding to then slam into the titan.

Weiss is nearly shaken off as the constant barrage knocks the titan back one step, then another as the summoned monster struggles to maintain its balance.

"ENOUGH!" Weiss yells as an ice barrier forms between them, giving the titan a chance to recover, before smashing the wall and hurling the frozen debris at where Cinder had been.

"I always thought that if you had the same mastery of your powers that your sister possessed, you would have been one of the most dangerous people I would have to deal with at Beacon," Cinder admits, suddenly peppering the titans back with flame blasts, before another barrage of glass projectiles slam into it. This time, already off balance for the flame strikes, the Titan does fall, leaving Weiss to jump clear of it as it suddenly dissolves into glowing sparks.

"So it does have limits," Cinder smiles as she steps into the open to face Weiss.

"So Goodwitch has set you as my test for the day," Weiss smirks, bringing her rapier up to her ready position.

"Yes she has. This was the best Battlefield i could arrange on such short notice though," Cinder admits, waving at the riverbank. "Had i more time, you would have far fewer options to make this a fair fight."

"I'll remember that," Weiss sneers back, the "fair fight" comment reminding her that this is the person that orchestrated the death of Penny, Yang's disgrace, and Pyrrha's murder.

"I have to assume that I was selected to test you because of our similar spirit beasts, and the likewise similar effect they have had on our powers," Cinder continues as she suddenly begins to hover on a jet of flame.

"Yes, I long ago mastered using ice in combat," Weiss agrees, a fog beginning to form around her in response to her lowering the temperature in her vicinity to make freezing things faster.

"Then shall we?" Cinder asks, flames gathering in her open hands.

"Yes," Weiss smirks, before suddenly flashing forward as if ice skating, her sword aimed to take Cinder in the hip.

"A good beginning, but you telegraph your attack by narrowing your eyes before you move," Cinder tells her, after handspringing over her and back to her feet, once again beginning to hover.

"I know, but I wanted to trade positions with you, which worked perfectly," Weiss gloats, now having Cinder seemingly trapped between herself and the river.

"Really? Then I expect you plan to force me back into the water to negate my flames?" Cinder asks, her voice smugly telling Weiss that this is hardly unexpected.

"Something like that," Weiss admits, as a glyph forms over the river.

"Give it your best shot little one," Cinder tells her condescending.

"Don't speak to me like I am a child!" Weiss snarls, nearly causing Cinder to miss the sounds of Ice forming and cracking behind her.

the mighty splash of the huge ice ball landing in the river is the only other warning Cinder gets of Weiss's plan, before the Wave of displaced water rises up to drench her.

"Well executed," Cinder concedes after the wave lands, irritating Weiss no end that the woman still seems to be completely dry despite throwing half the river at her. "However a hot enough flame can boil the water away quickly enough to create a protective curtain of steam, insulating the flame for a short time."

"I'll have to remember that," Weiss growls, as the Dust chambers in her sword rotate.

"It would be best for you if you did, or the next person you face capable of that trick might just take advantage of it without explaining it to you," Cinder smirks, holding out both hands as grains of sand rapidly collect and transform into a pair of glass swords for her to use.

Then the entire river transforms into a serpent made of water, which then heads into the forest.

"And there goes your advantage," Cinder smiles grimly as a corona of flame appears around her.

"So it would seem," Weiss admits, as the air around her becomes bitterly cold.

When the two clash, this is an explosion of steam that blocks anyone from being able to tell what is happening within.

"Purrha and Renna are in trouble!" Ruby yells as she appears behind Jeanne.

"I know, I'm heading that way now," she answers, turning slowly as she lets her new sense for Purrha tell her which direction to go. "That way," she breathes before setting out again.

"Wait, how did she know that?" Ruby wonders before vanishing to another part of the field again.

"Okay, so I can...really...oh, this is going to be fun!" Emerald grins as she opens her eyes, finally having made contact with her spirit beast. Letting her senses reach out, she finds the closest source of water, the river where Weiss and Cinder are fighting. "Let's see how team CATT likes getting thrown in at the deep end!" she grins as she uses her powers to turn the river into a snake construct that starts smashing through the forest towards her. Leaping onto the water beasts head, she finds that among her new powers is the rather literal ability to walk on water. "Okay, this might even be worth putting up with this whole slave thing for a little longer," she smirks as she draws her weapons and sends the construct smashing toward the explosions and gunfire that signify Purrha and Renna's location.

"This could be going better!" Renna grunts as the pair get knocked back by the explosion of one of Talia's shots.

"No kidding," Purrha grunts, having been slammed into a tree by the blast.

"So do you two want to throw in the towel before we are forced to rough you up any more?" Talia asks with a smirk as she aims her launcher at them again.

"It might be a good idea," Antonia adds, centering her aim on Purrha.

"It might be, but we have reinforcements," Purrha counters, being able to sense both Jeanne and Emerald closing on their position.

"Except they have no way of finding you in time to keep us from blowing you out of your heels," Talia continues to smirk as her finger tightens on her trigger.

"Careful sister, overconfidence leads to painful reversals," Tasha warns.

"Got that right," Jeanne adds as she drops in between Renna and Purrha.

"One more for the slaughter," Talia grins as she fires.

And when the smoke clears the three find a stone dome had taken the damage.

"What the hell?" Talia demands, seriously irked that they had managed to find protection. "That's MY trick!"

"Ah, crap," Antonia groans as she looks up.

"Game over girls," Emerald sneers as she leaps up, the water snake attacking, and slamming into the three.

"Hey, you three in there?" Emerald yells, banging on the dome with her pistol butt.

The shell withdraws back into the ground revealing the three.

"Nice dome, made it easy to clean up," Emerald remarks when they stand up.

"Timely arrival from both of you," Ren admits. "They got the drop on us and...things went downhill from there."

"Yeah, I know," Jeanne nods, having seen most of it through Purrha's eyes as she made her way to them. "Just glad I managed to make it in time."

"Well, let's make sure I didn't accidently drown any of them...that was a lot of water, and I don't need any more trouble," Emerald sighs in annoyance.

"Well isn't that just too damn bad," Talia snarls as she fires again, splitting the group in half.

"My semblance is called Water Dancer," Antonia smirks. "Which means I can control water too."

"Well, that's going to be problematic," Emerald deadpans.

"Buy me a few moments," Renna says just loudly enough for the enhanced hearing of Purrha and Jeanne to pick up.

"Well, I'm feeling pretty confident in my powers today," Jeanne grins. "So let's give it a go, shall we?"

As Purrha's silent count reaches zero, the pair leap into action, with Jeanne's landing resulting in the formation of a stony obstacle course that drastically limits the range of the weapons by restricting their lines of sight.

"Renna would probably make for a better opponent for you, but I'm afraid you will have to settle for me," Purrha says as she drops into the same cleared area that Tasha had found herself.

"I don't mind, you have proven to be a most resourceful opponent thus far," Tasha smiles as her fans snap open.

"Then shall we dance?" Purrha grins as she launches herself at the nearest wall, looking to keep Tasha off balance with unpredictability.

"Of course," Tasha agrees, as she opens fire.

"So, Stone Rabbit isn't an empty title," Talia smirks as Jeanne lands near her.

"Nope," she agrees, as she readies herself.

"Too bad for you I know a few things about playing with rocks too," she grins as she converts her launcher into a Warhammer. "And I like smashing things."

"Not so big on the smashing, but I'm getting pretty good with the rock," Jeanne smirks as Talia is suddenly slammed in the back by an angled cylinder of stone.

"Cheap shot, long ears," Talia grunts as she picks herself up off the ground.

"No, that was what I did to Yang," Jeanne grins.

"I'll want details on that later," Talia grins, before charging.

"Maybe," Jeanne answers, before causing a wall of stone to rise between them, followed in short order by three more, seemingly trapping Talia within.

"Not too bad," Talia admits. "But you're forgetting an important detail."

"What's that?" Jeanne asks.

"That I'm the one with the firepower," she retorts, launching a rocket just as Jeanne caps off her pen.

"As a matter of fact I was counting on it," Jeanne grins as she hears the detonation, and visualizes the now trapped cloud of smoke and dust.

"Okay snake, let's dance," Antonia growls, actually pleased to have a chance to clobber Emerald for what she did to the family that she knows her double has on Remnant.

"Oh please, you wouldn't have been a match for me before," Emerald snorts in contempt. Then she draws some of the water from her earlier attack back until she has a water serpent slightly taller than she is by her side. "Now? I don't care if your semblance does let you manipulate water, my power is greater. Yours runs out with your aura."

Then her serpent freezes solid and explodes, peppering Emerald with frozen shrapnel.

"Clearly your scouting of potential threats missed the Ice dust infused into my belt buckle," Antonia grins, her rifle transforming into its Naginata configuration. She then holds the tip near Emeralds neck, saying, "Surrender, or it's going to get messy."

"Yes, it is," Emerald sneers as a smaller water snake strikes Antonia from behind, taking her behind the knees, and knocking her down.

"Damn you!" Antonia snarls as she freezes the ground solid for fifty feet around them.

"Touch a nerve have I?" Emerald taunts as she returns the other girls earlier action of pointing her guns at her.

"Oh fuck off, you scale tailed scank!" Antonia tells her, as she fires her weapon, making Emerald dance back from the flying frozen debris that is kicked up from the angle Antonia fired from.

"Troublesome as she may be, that was uncalled for," Renna remarks as she slams her pistol into the back of Antonia's head, knocking her out.

"Thanks, she's more dangerous than those tits make her look," Emerald smirks.

"They all are, which means the others will probably need our help," Renna reminds her.

"Right, let's go," Emerald nods, jumping on the obstacles Jeanne had raised to separate the fighters.

"I see my earlier assessment was correct, you are the most dangerous of the three," Purrha pants as she drops back into a defensive crouch, Tasha maintaining her ready stance.

"Always nice to be acknowledged by an expert," Tasha smiles, letting Purrha know she is sincere. "Honestly I'm a bit surprised I've managed to back you into a corner like this," she admits.

"Oh, I'm just resting," Purrha grins at her, before Tasha finds herself the center of a swarm of vines that had stretched out from the forest to bind her.

"Sorry for the delay," Renna says as she and Emerald drop into the enclosure.

"It would seem I've been bested," Tasha admits, finding herself unable to get the vines to loosen.

"That's two down," Emerald grins. "We left the big titted sniper on the other side with her scroll on distress signal," she adds.

"Then we need to go help Jeanne finish up with Talia," Purrha nods, concentrating for a moment to ascertain her situation. "She's got Talia contained for the moment, but is beginning to worry about her air supply."

"I've got her scroll transmitting," Emerald informs them.

"Then let's go," Purrha orders as she bounces off obstacles until she is high enough to vault the wall.

"How the heck can she move like that in these boots?" Emerald wonders again.

"Enhanced agility and balance come with being a cat," Renna grins, before following.

"Showoffs," Emerald sighs, once again calling water from her first construct until she can generate one large enough to get her over the walls.

"I'm glad you guys are here," Jeanne says as the rest of the group lands on the prison. "I can feel her inside, but she's not moving, or responding when I hit the walls. I'm afraid if I open it up she's going to blast us, but if I leave it closed, she could suffocate."

"She can control rock as well, can't she?" Renna asks.

"She implied as much when Jeanne protected us earlier," Purrha nods.

"Same when we started our fight," Jeanne nods.

"Then she's probably out, she's too aggressive to be sitting pat if she can open it herself," Emerald opines.

"Get ready just in case," Purrha instructs, before nodding at Jeanne to crack the prison open.

A vertical crack appears in the stone wall before them as Jeanne begins. Next she motions for the two sides to slide apart, but still leaving them supporting the roof.

"Anyone bring a light," Renna asks.

"Usually Cinders thing," Emerald reminds them.

"I'll go," Purrha says as she carefully eases into the opening, allowing her enhanced night vision the chance to adjust to the gloom within before proceeding further.

Once she can see clearly, she begins her search, quickly finding Talia crumpled against the back wall, her weapon cast to the side in the middle of the prison.

"I've got her!" Purrha calls back as she checks Talia's pulse to make sure she's alright.

"And I've got you!" she grins as her hair ornaments flare up as she uses the Dust infused into them to capture Purrha in a crisscrossing of stone spikes.

"And now, you really are unconscious," Emerald smirks as she clocks Talia across the back of the head with one of her pistols. "Hey long ears! You need to bust the cat out-" she begins but Purrha's prison crumbles before she can even get beyond calling for Jeanne's attention.

"While I thank you for your assistance," Purrha growls, her green eyes glowing menacingly in the gloom, "do NOT forget your place when speaking to me or the others. We accept you among us in battle, but you WILL give us the respect we deserve, or you will go back to being gagged until you can remember that. Clear?"

"Crystal," Emerald gulps, having forgotten for a moment that this one was able to fight Cinder to a standstill for even a short amount of time while she had the powers of a Maiden at her disposal. Which means that without mind games she would flat out demolish the green tressed trickster.

"Good. Now grab her weapon, while I get her out of here," Purrha instructs as she reaches for the downed twin.

"On it," Emerald nods, grabbing the rocket launcher and contemplating, however briefly, turning it on her slave master.

"Probably for the best if you don't continue on that train of thought," Purrha smirks over her shoulder, grinning at Emeralds surprised, wide eyed guilty look. "You would look terribly foolish hung upside down by your own chains. And then I would be within my rights to punish you. And you being in the perfect position to imitate one of those paper and paste Grimm that they fill with candy for the children to break open..." she trails off, the implications clear.

"Um, while I'll admit I DID think about it, I was already discarding it as an idea before you said something," Emerald tells her. "You really can't blame me for thinking it anyway, it's not like I actually LIKE any of you. But I don't really want to be with Salem either...what she is now...she was scary before, now she's terrifying."

"Good. Mistress Ebonshroud would be unhappy if we had to go through with that punishment, even if she would be forced to accept it as justified after an explanation, and I'd rather not have her mad at us," Purrha smiles, filing away the remarks about Salem for later. "But for now, we need to finish this," she adds as she begins carrying Talia outside.

"Right," Emerald sighs in relief.

"You can get rid of everything if you wish," Purrha tells Jeanne as they emerge.

"Right," she nods, clapping her hands and turning all the rock she had manipulated into gravel.

"Now that's a handy trick," Renna grins as she calls vines from the forest to tie up Talia as she had the others.

"So is yours," Emerald smirks.

"Well, it doesn't make much sense to use stone shackles on someone who can manipulate stone herself," Ren deadpans.

"At this point, we don't need to restrain them anymore," Purrha reminds them. "Go get Antonia and Tasha, and bring them here," she orders Emerald.

"I'll go get Tasha to speed things along," Renna says before heading off.

"Just...keep her away from me once she wakes up," Emerald says as she heads toward Antonia. "She's probably going to hold a grudge."

"Probably," Jeanne smirks.

"Yes, Tasha is the only one other than Cole himself from that team to be likely to remember this was just a practice run, and mostly so we could become comfortable with our new abilities," Purrha agrees.

"And he's got his hands full with Nora and Blake," Ruby grins as she appears behind them, making Jeanne jump.

"Okay, stop doing that!" Jeanne complains as Ruby giggles at her reaction.

* * *

"This is getting us nowhere," Weiss complains, standing amid the blasted remains of forest and riverbank.

"On the contrary, we are both discovering just how formidable our opposing elemental spirit truly is," Cinder corrects her, still hovering on her flame jet, while Weiss is standing amid a smooth expanse of ice.

"True, although the need to concentrate upon only a single facet of my power is limiting my ability to fight effectively," Weiss complains.

"True, I've given up my glass in favor of flames, other than my weapons, since you lost your titan," Cinder agrees. "It would make things more interesting if we allowed the use of our other abilities."

"Then why don't we," Weiss grins deviously, the Dust chamber on her sword rotating.

"Because our goal is to test our new abilities, not further refine our old ones...although in our case, it really does amount to the same thing," Cinder admits. "These flames, while derived from a different source, are little different than those I controlled as the Fall Maiden."

"What is that?" Weiss asks, certain this is important.

"Ask Goodwitch about it when we get back," Cinder counters. "Those powers remained with the original me, the one back on Remnant...and still serving Salem."

"Which is why I want to know what my real self has to deal with back there," Weiss snarls. "She doesn't have the benefit of the Ice Phoenix to counter your flames!"

"Which means she will need to train harder, and trust in her companions," Cinder smiles sadly. "The maidens are not unstoppable, just very powerful. The fact that I was able to kill one and take her powers is proof enough of that."

Seeing the other woman distracted and focused inward, Weiss quickly conjures several glyphs that spit out chunks of ice from random angles, taking Cinder off guard, and smashing her around like a pinball for a few moments.

"Enough!" Cinder screams, her powers flaring with her temper, mostly directed at herself for allowing herself to become distracted, and manifesting a birdlike corona of flames around her that evaporate any further ice well before it can reach her. "You want to play it that way little girl, then prepare yourself," she snarls, dropping her glass swords and bringing her hands forward, launching a series of fireballs at Weiss that explode on impact.

"Wow, her temper is as volatile as her powers," Weiss realizes, being forced to get creative with her evasions in order to remain unsinged. "Too bad for you that Ice trumps Fire!" Weiss calls, as she suddenly calls all her powers over the element into play, suddenly trapping Cinder in an iceberg. "And that is why I'm the better Phoenix," she says smugly as she struts up to the encased fire spirit.

"Well, I see you didn't need our help after all," Jeanne grins as the rest assemble at the edge of their battlefield, Renna carrying Antonia, while Tasha has her sister.

"I assume all of you being together means that the exercise is over," Weiss sighs.

"Not quite," Purrha smiles. "We still need to go free Yang from the situation Jeanne left her in."

"And what would that be?" Weiss asks with her scared brow arched.

"Oh, just this," Jeanne grins as she waves her hand, causing a completely stone representation of Yang and her restraints to pop up before Weiss.

Weiss can't help but start laughing at the absurdity of Jeanne of all people having defeated the strongest one of the number.

And causing all of them to miss the cracks beginning to form in Cinders prison.

Jeanne hears the first of the larger ones, and barely has enough time to throw up a stone wall between her group and the suddenly flying debris.

Weiss isn't close enough to share the protection, and doesn't hear the warning sounds in time, taking several jagged pieces of ice to the back, which deplete her defensive Aura and impale her as Cinder drops back to the ground, gasping for breath.

"Hey, you guys ready-" Ruby pops up asking, just as the Prison shatters. Sticking her head around the stone barrier she sees Weiss teeter, and fall on her face, splashes of blood across her back, and the jagged ice shards still protruding.

"WEISS!" she screams, her eyes flaring as she rushes toward her friend. Reaching her and realizing the truth about the damage, she turns on Cinder, Crescent Rose in hand. "You. Killed. Her!" she screams again, the silver light from her eyes brightening as she prepares to decapitate the Fallen Huntress.

"Accident," Cinder pants, still recovering from being trapped in the ice, and unable to defend herself.

"LIAR!" Ruby screams again, the energy gathering in her eyes lashing out with the word, and blasting Cinder across the battlefield to tumble to a stop near the slowly rising river.

* * *

As Ruby stomps toward Cinder intent on ending her, another in a very different field looks up from her own mission.

Taking out her Scroll, she quickly contacts another and demands, "Sable, what's happened. I felt Silver Eyes."

"I thought it was you," in the response from Sable Fenix.

"Then we have a new one," the White cloaked woman realizes.

"Probably the little wind spirit from the last bunch," Sable informs her.

"You should have told me we had another with Silver Eyes from home," she chastises the Phoenix Knight. "Awakening that power...it never happens under pleasant circumstances."

"No, it doesn't," Sable agrees.

"Alright, I'll deal with it," she says, cutting the connection. "Raven!" she yells aloud.

"You called?" the Black Phoenix asks as she appears in her trademark style.

"Someone other than Sable and Myself is here with Silver Eyes," she tells the Swordswoman.

Looking off to the distance, not that it can really be told with her Nevermore helmet on, she says, "The new Ice Phoenix...I can't feel her presence."

"Get us there, if this is because someone killed a Phoenix and doesn't know what happens, we need to warn them before the flare," the mystery woman orders.

"On it," Raven nods, as the pair vanish, the Black firebird remaining for an instant before vanishing after them.

* * *

"Ruby, it was an accident," Cinder tries again, her aura depleted from both breaking free, and the last shot from Ruby. "I was trapped and couldn't breathe!"

"I don't CARE!" she screams as she raises the scythe. "You Killed Pyrrha! You got Penny Killed! Now Weiss! NO MORE!"

Ruby is then promptly tackled and carried back beyond the stone wall faster than she can shift mental gears, while Raven Transports herself and Cinder to join them an instant later.

"Calm yourself little one. Your frosty little friend will not be staying dead for very long. Most of the Spirits are Immortal, but the Phoenix have a tendency to get revenge on those that try to slay them when they resurrect," she explains, not looking at Ruby, instead peeking over the wall. "See? It begins," she states as energy begins swirling around Weiss's body.

Moments later there is an explosion as a small mountain of ice appears, before shattering, leaving Weiss wobbling unsteadily on her feet.

And then flat on her back as Ruby rockets into her, tears streaming down her face as she hugs her, blubbering about her dying.

"Okay, what's the Emergency?!" Yang yells as she tears into the clearing.

"How did you get loose?" Emerald demands, having seen what Jeanne had shown Weiss.

"I managed to break the restraints and left her a note when Weiss went down," Jeanne admits. "After all, without her uncle or dad, who else would have a chance at calming her down?"

"Yang?" the mystery woman asks, staring at the dragon girl in shock.

"Who are...you...Mom?" Yang answers, finishing in a shocked whisper.

"Oh my Dust," she whispers as they rush to each other, her armor the only thing saving her ribs from being crushed as Yang hugs her.

"How?" Yang asks, tears of joy streaming down her face.

"Probably much like Miss Nikos...sorry, Nekos," Goodwitch corrects herself as she lands between the pair and the group.

"You died back there too?" she asks Purrha.

"Unfortunately," she admits. "Right as life was starting to get good too," she adds with a lopsided smirk.

"It never waits until you are ready," she agrees with a long suffering chuckle.

"So who is this person anyway?" Emerald Demands.

"Summer Rose," Goodwitch answers. "Ruby's birth mother, and Yang's' step mother."

"Nice to see you again Glynda," Summer nods to the other huntress. "Sorry you got dragged into this. Like the hair though."

"I'm becoming rather fond of the new color myself," the former blond admits. "But you have an even bigger reunion to deal with."

"Ruby's here too," Yang whispers, afraid to let go, lest Summer vanish like a dream.

"Ruby?!" Summer spins back, to her step-daughter. "If she's here because she died, someone is going to have a very bad day," she growls, giving Yang the first inkling of the woman her stepmother could be when not acting like a doting mom to her and Ruby.

"The original is still on Remnant, much like the rest of us," Goodwitch adds. "Only two of our rather large group didn't survive to the point we woke up here...although the Miss Xaio Long back there is currently dealing with the rather serious repercussions of losing an arm to a Swordsman working for the White Fang."

"If you are talking about Adam, it's worse than that...he was grabbed with the rest of us too," Emerald tells them, wincing at the sudden attention focused on her.

"That bastard is here!" Yang snarls, her eyes shifting to red and smoke puffing from her nose as her hair glows nearly white.

"Technically, the proper insult is now Bitch," Cinder coughs as she leans heavily on Raven. "She was shifted by a spirit."

"What hit you?" Yang demands, calming slightly as Summer grips her arm tightly in an old "Calm yourself or else" signal from when she was a little kid.

"First Weiss, then your sister," Cinder winces as she tries to put weight on her right leg. "Before she comes back, please believe me when I say I never met to hurt Weiss like that. I was starting to panic with no air and just threw everything I had into breaking out...nothing else mattered just then..." she trails off, only Raven's grip on her keeping her from collapsing to the ground as she passes out.

"Where is she?" Ruby demands, still livid as she helps the still wobbly Weiss back to the rest.

"Off Limits," Goodwitch tells her sternly. "What happened was a training accident, and the reason WHY you were all training in the first place."

"I don't care," Ruby growls, lowering Weiss so she can lean up against the wall. "Just like Remnant, she killed someone I care about. If not for that... come back to life thing...and being here, I'd be down three more loved ones! She just burned up the last chance she got by surrendering," she finishes, once again whipping out Crescent Rose.

"First you need to get past me, and you aren't ready for the big leagues yet, runt," Raven warns her, hand on her own sword hilt.

"Enough," Summer orders. "Raven, take off that damn helmet, you have other things to take care of, and you are WAY past due to do it," she says, pointing at Yang, who points at herself in confusion.

Until Raven removes her helmet, letting Yang see the face of her real mother in the flesh for the first time since she was a baby.

"Hello little one," Raven begins sheepishly.

"Did you die on Remnant too?" Yang asks, pretty sure she knows the answer, but wanting to be certain.

"No, if I had, I'd at least have an excuse," Raven sighs.

"Then why?" Yang demands, angrier than anyone had ever seen her, but also calmer at the same time...no one had ever seen her hit this level of rage before, and it terrified most of them.

"They need some time alone," Summer says as she turns back to Ruby. "As do we baby girl," she says the last softly, a sad smile gracing her lips and tears running down her face as she lowers her white hood, and letting Ruby truly see her for the first time in a decade.

"Mom?" Ruby can't comprehend what she's seeing at first, dumbfounded as Summer nods in confirmation. "MOM!" she cries as things suddenly click together and she dares to believe. Flashing forward, Ruby slams into Summer hard enough to stagger the woman back several steps as she tries to remain standing.

"Oh baby, I can't begin to describe how much I've missed you," Summer says through the tears of joy. "I'm so sorry I had to leave you and Yang alone with your dad. But it looks like he did a pretty good job of it."

"He had help," Ruby giggles though her own tears. "Uncle Qrow helped us a lot."

"Of course he did," Summer chuckles. "That's what family does."

Before they can go any further, Raven goes flying past, slamming into the stone wall, and slowly sliding down it, a crushed indentation marking her impact point.

"Yang Prominence Xaio Long!" Summer yells in her best command voice, using the girls' FULL name in that way only a mother can.

"She can rot for all I care," Yang growls, her temper being barely held in check.

Summer untangles herself from Ruby before storming over to Yang and backhanding the girl across the face.

As Yang raises a hand to her now burning cheek, Summer gets right in her face and tells her in no uncertain terms, "She is your Mother. You will give her the respect she deserves for bringing you into the world if nothing else!"

Yang lowers her hand and looks down at the ground for a moment, before staring Summer in the eye and countering with, "She may have given birth to me, but YOU are my mother. The only one I've ever known."

And with that, she bends down and picks up Cinder, before walking toward Team Catt.

"Summer, Leave it," Raven coughs. "Kid packs a wallop, that's for sure," she grins in spite of the pain that might actually be fractured ribs. "And she's right. This me or the original one, we're both just as guilty when it comes to this."

"Raven, I don't give a damn about that, I raised her to be better than that!" Summer argues stubbornly.

"Sum, we both know that nothing in any world is going to curb that Branwen Temper she's got," Raven actually chuckles before wincing in pain. "She's right to be mad, and while I don't LIKE needing to confront this head on, it's what needs to be done," she finishes when she can breathe again.

"Mom, what's that thing on your back?" Ruby breaks in derailing the painful discussion.

"That's my weapon sweetie," Summer answers with a smile. "By the way, nice job on your scythe. Qrow must be immensely proud you chose to follow in his path of weaponry.

"He is..er..was...you know what I mean," Ruby stumbles, flustered. "What do you call it? Is that the same thing you used back home?"

"No baby, it's not. I've been here a long time, and changed a lot of things after I arrived," Summer admits as she lets the huge Cross slam end first into the ground, as she steps away from it. "Things are at least as dangerous here as they are back home, and since I died, I clearly wasn't prepared enough," she admits with a sad smile. "That's why I've got armor now. And a new weapon: Summers Wrath."

"What is it?" Ruby asks getting closer to it.

"Well, its several things," Summer grins, taking a fair amount of pride in the construction and versatility of her weapon. "This is its null form, obviously, but it can turn into a rocket launcher, a sniper, a pair of assault shotguns, or this," she explains before reaching for the shorter upright, which extends out leaving her to grab a much longer than needed sword hilt. Then the rest of the cross transforms, the longest arm extending as she pulls it toward her, an energy field appearing along the outer edges of the split sections, filling in the gaps and giving the monstrous sword a clearly defined energy blade.

"How can you lift that thing?" Ruby asks in awe, her own guestimates saying that unless her mom has a semblance like Goodwitch, she should at the very least need both hands to lift it.

"Oh, baby, just like you and Yang...and several of your friends... I'm not Human anymore," she admits as she throws her cloak back and spreading her wings. The burning Halo of energy appearing behind her head leaves little doubt as to the form of the spirit she had bonded with.

"You really are an angel," Ruby whispers in awe.

"Yes baby girl, I am. And your dear old Mom is the meanest fighter on this rock," Summer grins. Concealing her wings and halo once again, she turns back to Goodwitch and orders, "Take Yang and the injured up to the Cloak of Shadows. The rest of us will follow when I assume the Mech training concludes for today."

"See you upstairs," Goodwitch nods as she lifts off with her TK, the other downed fighters, as well as Yang and Tasha floating upward with her.

"So our training is concluded for today?" Purrha asks.

"Yes, I want to get reacquainted with my baby, and get to meet her friends," Summer smiles.

"Alright," Purrha nods, sending the mental magic commands that strip Emerald of her protective clothes and leave her once again in nothing but her slave outfit.

"Well, this should prove to be an interesting story," she smirks, giving Purrha a hard look as she waits for an explanation.

So those who are left begin bringing her up to speed on what had transpired on Remnant prior to their awakening here.

Emerald ends up fainting because of how angry Summer becomes during the tale.

* * *

"If I hear about you attacking her again without going through Purrha first, You will be joining them in restraints, am I perfectly clear about this!?" Noir yells in Ruby's face, while Summer stands by nodding.

"Yes Ma'am," Ruby returns sullenly.

"Then get out of here," Noir orders.

"I'll find you in a little while," Summer assures her as she leaves.

"Alright, let's have it," Noir sighs.

"Pardon?" Summer smirks, pretty sure she knows what the other woman is expecting.

"Most parents won't let a dressing down of that caliber pass, especially not on their little girl," Noir snorts.

"I'm a General remember?" Summer laughs. "I'm not going to bust anyone's chops for doing their job, even if it IS my baby with her butt in the sling this time."

"Good, because if it wasn't her first offence, not to mention a justified one, I really would have her in slave gear right alongside them," Noir tells her. "Knowing what has been going on back home, I'd like the chance to use them as practice dummies, but they aren't my problem unless their Mistress drops the ball in regard to them."

"I'll be talking to Purrha myself in a bit," Summer nods. "Personally I think they have a bit too much freedom as it stands, but so long as nothing goes wrong that can be blamed on them, I'm willing to trust her judgement."

"So did you buy that story about what happened to Weiss?" Noir asks. "And before you ask why I'm so intent, I was the girls first combat instructor and taught her how to manipulate dust."

"I had a little interview with her before coming in here with Ruby," Summer admits. "She admitted after she thought about it for a bit that she had forgotten any kind of air vents for her prison. Which means Cinders panic fueled power burst wasn't intended to damage her, just to get her some air."

"Panic tends to have ugly results," Noir nods. "So that means no punishment for her this time."

"Oh, I wouldn't go that far," Summer returns her expression darkening. Haven spoken with Your Raven, and getting her take on things, as well as Mine and what she initially pulled that bunch out of, I'm reasonably convinced that she does indeed want to make amends. However since she is a far more experienced Huntress, I'm having trouble excusing this big a slip. Raven assures me that there is no Grimm ever spawned that can withstand Phoenix Fire, especially with it being an internal thing, so I'm not really concerned about it somehow respawning within her. I AM however concerned that she might be following old behavior paths out of habit and attributing it to "survival instinct"."

"I see your dilemma," Noir nods. "On the one hand a panic attack from not being able to breathe is perfectly understandable under the circumstances, but if she is as experienced as you say, and used to manipulating fire on top of that, she should have been able to focus and burn herself a vent, or several, before things got that bad. After all, as you boil water it tends to separate."

"Yes...So after I speak with Purrha, I'm going to be having a long talk with Cinder, and if I don't like the answers, I'm going to order some punishments, and if Purrha isn't willing, then I'm going to open it up to the rest. I'm sure there is at least one among them that would like a little revenge over what was happening in Vale before they arrived here."

"That's...an unfortunate position you are putting the girl in," Noir winces. "She's already admitted to me that she doesn't trust herself with more violent punishments, because she is afraid she is going to lose control of her own temper. After all Cinder Murdered her right in front of Ruby, although she didn't know Ruby had arrived at the time."

"Yes, and it was the final emotional hammer blow she "needed" to unlock her Dust granted inheritance," Summer scowls, air quoting the word to show what she thinks of that situation. "If I didn't respect Ozpin as much as I did before I died back there, I'd wish him here so I could strangle him for getting her involved in this before she was ready."

"He probably did it because they had lost you," Noir reminds her. "He told you of the Legend of the Silver Eyed Warriors after all, and helped you realize your own power. That man is several things, but cruel hearted isn't one of them. He would have spared her as much anguish as he could have, especially given her age," she adds.

"Correct," Goodwitch adds, inviting herself into the conversation. As she enters, the door slowly closes behind her, seemingly of its own volition.

"I take it you have some more information to impart to me before I make my judgements?" Summer asks, not sure if she should be annoyed or not by the other woman acting as if she's still in a position of authority.

"Indeed I do, as I was the one there with Ruby during her initial encounter with Cinder and Torchwick," she nods. "Ozpin accepted her into Beacon despite my opinion, but having been one of her instructors, I rapidly came to see what he did in her," she smiles. "Summer, your daughter is a natural, and I mean leader, not warrior. She worked harder than any student I have ever seen to get to where she is as a combatant, and twice that after Ozpin named her team leader. Part of that is due to Weiss doubting her in the beginning, but that turned out to be for the best as it was the spur she needed to get on the right track. Until then, she was an adequate if untrained field leader, able to take assorted abilities and combine them into a plan to take down Grimm well out of their weight class and experience level, but after a few months of understanding that wasn't enough to be a real leader? Well just ask Yang. She may love Ruby, but she's not going to lie about the girls qualifications to be in charge. Especially not to you," she finishes with a smirk.

"And Cinder?" Summer asks.

"That is another matter," Goodwitch nods, her tails lashing behind her. "In that first encounter, Cinder was just playing with us. She had at least half of the power of the Fall Maiden, and had clearly been practicing with it, as she used it with casual ease, and no...overcompensation. Her every maneuver and attack was perfectly calibrated to what was needed, and the only time she indulged in a bit of overkill was when she destroyed the debris I had been attacking her ship with. An omnidirectional burst that disintegrated all of it, and nothing else was a display of power even I had to respect.

"Which doesn't match up with this incident," Summer nods.

"True, but given her...circumstances, I have a possible explanation," Glynda tells her, starting to pace, her heels tinkling on the decking as she goes. "We would need some way to find out just when she was...Converted...into Salem's' Pawn. Depending on the timing, it IS possible that her former ruthlessness and tendency for no wasted power in her attacks was an attribute of having that Grimm in her head."

"That is a disturbing, but very good point," Noir nods.

"Indeed it is," Summer agrees. "And I know someone who can give us an answer."

"And the answer is, she was taken by that demonic bitch just before entering her first combat school," Leona says as she fades in, perched on Noir's desk. "I just got back from reviewing it. ...The...thing was the larval form of the Grimm that was used against Amber."

"So it had an influence on all of her combat training," Summer whispers to herself, thinking furiously over the implications. "It would have suppressed any tendencies toward wasted motion or energy in an attempt to turn her into the best she could possibly be, well ahead of her training curve. She would have appeared to have been a natural fighter, gifted even, but cold. Not emotionless, not even cruel, not then, but...distant. She would have been on a team, but never really would have been a part of it."

"That sounds accurate from what we've seen out of her," Goodwitch agrees with a nod.

"So if the Grimm was responsible for her level of control and this is an indication of her true abilities," Noir trails off.

"Then she needs the training as badly as the other newcomers do, and anything else on her part is self-delusion and bluff," Summer states. "And as for the snake..."

"Emerald was street trash, recruited by Cinder alongside the punk assassin Mercury, who didn't get collected, for her mission to steal the Fall Maiden's Powers," Leona reports, being much more in the loop on the behind the scenes stuff than anyone who was actually participating back on Remnant. "But she has zero loyalty to Salem. Cinder offered her a way out of living on the streets, and the girl's been devoted to her since. Grimm-Cinder might have been playing the girl, but I honestly doubt Phoenix-Cinder even realizes just how much Emerald wants to be with her."

"This is more than just loyalty or even infatuation isn't it?" Summer sighs, again pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Oh yeah, if Cinder gave her the green light, she'd need a crowbar to get the girl off her," Leona grins.

"That actually plays well for what Purrha decreed regarding punishments for the two," Goodwitch smirks.

"They share punishments, even if only one of them incurred it," Noir explains at Summers questioning look. "Her plan was to use it as a way to curb Emeralds attempts to mess with anyone using her semblance."

"Because Emerald doesn't care if she gets punished, but wouldn't want Cinder to have to deal with it because of her actions," Summer nods in understanding. "While Cinders current thinking is likely very similar, but more along the lines of no one else suffering because of her."

"Spot on," Leona nods. "And just so you know, the boss had me "test" her, but no gift was to be offered. She passed, she really does want to make amends, but sees her crimes as being unforgivable. She's already resigned herself to being a slave for life, with her only regret about surrendering being the Emerald got roped into her punishment."

"So how do we proceed with her?" Noir asks.

"I'm working on that," Summer answers. "Thank you all, you've given me a lot to work with," she adds before walking out.

"She's grown," Goodwitch remarks as Leona fades out again. "She could probably handle what was going on back home just as calmly...and kept it from turning out the way it did."

"That's probably why she was killed," Noir sighs. "I realize it was a mission, but we both know that this Salem controls the Grimm, likely with some way to use them as her eyes and ears in the world while keeping herself hidden. Isn't much of a stretch for her to puppet master her pets and create a horde large enough to take down even a Silver Eye."

"No, it's not," Goodwitch agrees. "Which makes her being here, and enhanced as my group was, all the more troubling."

"Just another problem to deal with," Noir returns.

* * *

"How's Weiss doing?" Purrha asks as she passes Ruby in the halls.

"Better, now that she's had a chance to recover," Ruby smiles. "Seems that the whole coming back from being dead thing scrambles you some, and it takes you a little while to put all the pieces back where they belong. Yang's Mom gave use a rundown of what it's like, so we could help her if it happens again, and let us in on the little character flaw that they all share, the Phoenix spirits think they are immortal, and so take more risks than they really need to, sometimes even suiciding because they know they will come back. But they don't figure in the vulnerable time while they recover from it."

"Probably because they get anyone who was gloating over their defeat with that eruption of power when they come back," Purrha smirks.

"Probably, but anyone outside that blast one can easily take them out, again, or worse, since even if they could mount a defense with their brains scrambled like that, they wouldn't be able to do much damage," Ruby sighs. "And it's not like Weiss really listened to me before."

"I think you are underestimating your impact on her," Purrha grins at her. "Even while she was recovering, she was seeing you lose it over her. She remembers, I'm certain of it."

"I hope so...I'm sick of losing loved ones," Ruby tells her, tears dancing in the corners of her eyes.

"That's why we look out for one another...to keep it from happening before it truly is their time," Purrha responds, pulling her into a hug that she returns. "So did the Black Phoenix have any other insights on our new spirit partners to impart?"

"Yeah, we found out a LOT about our weaknesses," Ruby nods, stepping back and getting back to business. "I'd already figured mine out, but I can't jump into a place that is sealed off...which also means I can be trapped by something that's air tight."

"Definitely something to think about before actually appearing in a location you know to be hostile," Purrha nods.

"Jeanne needs to actually be in contact with the ground in order to manipulate it," Ruby continues. "Renna...I don't think she mentioned her, but unless she has some plants or something nearby to manipulate she's kind of out of luck with her powers. Nora...Nora's got the most destructive aspects of my new wind powers combined with lightning...I'm not really sure I want to see the mess when she actually cuts loose for real."

"Yes, she will be a force to be reckoned with," Purrha nods. "But what of her weakness?"

"She said, "She is her own weakness," whatever the heck that's supposed to mean," Ruby shrugs. "Blake can be countered by bright lights wrecking her shadows, and Yang...well, she's Yang. Dragon now, but other than that not much has changed for her."

"Yes, much like myself, her spirit simply improved what was already there," Purrha agrees.

"Yeah, now she's nearly indestructible," Ruby sticks her tongue out.

"Which will make it all the harder for her to change her bad habits," Purrha sighs, thinking of her own disastrous failing back on Remnant.

"Yeah, and with the one that cut her arm off back there being here now, and all jacked up like we are, it's not going to be pretty if they meet again before we can get her using her head," Ruby nods. "That's why I told Blake to keep reminding her about losing her arm when she starts to get too full of herself," she grins. "I figure that should help keep her head screwed on right, and as Weiss can attest, NO ONE can shut down an ego trip faster than Blake can."

"Good. We suffered losses enough before our arrival, there is no reason to continue to make the same mistakes," Purrha smiles herself.

"Remember that red!" she hears in the back of her mind as Jeanne reminds her of their new link.

Un-noticed by either as they walk off, Summer smiles to herself, mostly at Ruby's words and leadership style, but also at how well these teams seem to work together.

"I wish we had had another team that was in our league back in Beacon," she says sadly. "Might have made things turn out different," she finishes as she steps around the corner that had concealed her from the younger girls. "I just hope that they all come through this," she adds as she follows after the pair.

* * *

Summer knocks on the door to Jeanne and Purrha's room, not surprised when it opens almost immediately.

"Oh, Ms. Rose," Purrha says in surprise.

"Please, just call me Summer," she smiles. "I'd like a few words with you if you're not too busy?"

"Please," Purrha says as she steps to the side and motions for her to enter.

"Nice place," Summer grins, remembering the rooms back at Beacon. "Must be nice to not have the entire team underfoot all the time."

"It makes some things easier, yes," Purrha blushes furiously, as does Jeanne.

"So what did you need?" the bunny girl asks.

"I'm about to go have a talk with Cinder," Summer explains. "And I wanted you to know that if I don't like the answers I get out of her, I'm going to order some punishment, which you will be expected to carry out."

"What do you have in mind?" Purrha asks.

"While I'm not a fan of it, for this little incident, I think a Whipping isn't too much. She did cause the death of one of our own, even if it was only temporary," Summer tells her, paying close attention to the girls face, which pales in surprise.

"I...I don't know if I can do that," she admits shakily.

"Would you allow for a stand in?" Summer asks, curious if she doesn't trust herself, or if it's the act itself she can't stomach.

"Only if it was Mistress Ebonshroud, or one of the other adults...We're...too raw after what happened. Ruby especially," she answers.

"True, and she's had her ass chewed out properly over that little incident," Summer smirks. "How about having Emerald deliver the punishment?"

"No...she would refuse, which would mean a punishment for that. I'm not setting anyone up for failure," Purrha says shooting Summer a harsh look. "Despite not liking her, I can't condone that."

"Alright," Summer says, pleased with the girls scruples. "Once I'm done with the Interview, I'll be back to inform you of my decisions."

"I don't mean to be rude, but by what authority do YOU get to make these decisions?" Purrha asks.

"Oh, didn't I mention that down below?" Summer says in surprise. At their head shakes she smiles again, saying, "I'm the General in charge of all this mess. It's why I'm so intent on getting to the bottom of this."

"Um, does that mean we need to salute from now on?" Jeanne asks.

"Only if you want me to laugh at you," Summer chuckles as she leaves.

* * *

"Knock, Knock," Summer says as she enters the Prisoners chamber, without waiting for an invitation.

"To what do we owe the Pleasure of this visit?" Cinder asks, her tone making it difficult to tell if she is being respectful or sarcastic.

"I'm not particularly satisfied with the situation that happened down there today, so I'm here to ask you some questions about things," Summer answers, deciding to keep things professional, at least to start. After all she reminds herself, she can always get creative later on if required.

"What do you wish to know?" Cinder returns, moving from her bunk to stand in front of Summer.

"Your history, training, and ranking before you went full evil minion, everything you can remember about what happened down below, and how long you plan to play slave before you get tired of it and forcibly free yourself," Summer answers, ticking points off on her fingers.

"Then we should make ourselves comfortable, this will be a long talk," Cinder answers with an ironic smirk.

"I will, but you get to stand," Summer retorts, taking a seat on Cinders bed.

"Right," Cinder nods, doing a poorer job than usual of concealing her irritation. Taking up an "at ease" pose before Summer, she begins her story, expanding on points as Summer asks questions.

"So what happened down there?" Summer demands. "By your own admissions, your control has always been precise, why the panic attack when a controlled burn would have gotten you an air vent and a chance for a sneak attack?"

"She...caught me off guard. I didn't even have time to take a breath before I was trapped," Cinder admits, blushing in shame at the admission. "I was short on air before I had a chance to plan, and it just got worse as I tried to plan...then I...I needed to breathe, and just lashed out, anything to get some air. I'm not sure really what happened between that, and finally dropping free to the ground, which was when I first saw that Weiss had been hit by the debris."

"Has that kind of lapse ever happened to you before?" Summer asks.

"Not since I was a child," she answers.

"How old?" Summer continues to question her.

"It was...a camping trip in a safe forested area in Mistral. I went to get some firewood, and they found me just outside of camp an hour later. I didn't make it any deeper than the first of the brush, barely even out of the camps sight." she answers.

"What if I told you that I think your memory lapse stems from something else taking over your mind?" Summer asks.

"You mean to tell me that Salem had her hooks in from the time I was a child?!" Cinder demands, shocked that her entire life hasn't been hers.

"I think so, yes," Summer nods. "And I think the fact you can't remember what happened here, is because you didn't consciously instigate it. I think the Phoenix triggered your powers for you, because you were already out."

"They can do that?" Cinder asks.

"Not usually, no. But since you were contained and Weiss wasn't, I think we can understand why no one made the connection," Summer answers.

"Wait, you mean the princess killed her?!" Emerald yelps.

"Yes, i think so," Summer nods.

"Then i didn't actually cause that explosion," Cinder says.

"Well, you did, but as i said, not of your own volition, since you were, you know, dead, at the time," Summer smirks. "Although that DOES mean that Ruby owes you n additional apology for trying to kill you again afterward."

"No, she doesn't," Cinder argues. "I deserve to be killed several times over for everything I've done."

"Maybe so, maybe no," Summer retorts. "But the way things are shaping up on this one, you get a pass."

"Yup, she's innocent, or at least as innocent as she can be with everything else on her record," Leona laughs as she fades in, once again giving Cinder a slap on the tush.

"Permission to burn her tail off?" Cinder growls, after jumping from the unexpected contact.

"Granted, but later," Summer grins at Leona's put out look. "So what brings you back in here, other than your desire to cause minor trouble to entertain yourself?" she asks.

"Watch it, Angel of Wrath. You might command the Defenders of the Realms, but I'm not one of your troops," Leona scowls at her as she transforms, giving Cinder and Emerald their first inkling of the woman's true power.

Growing nearly a foot in height, and sprouting no less than THREE pairs of silver hued wings, as well as a devils tail to go with a burning halo, the woman's form of an Angel of Chaos causes both prisoners to shrink back from her as she scowls at Summer.

"I retract my earlier threats," Cinder deadpans.

"I thought you might," Leona grins at her.

"Still waiting for why you are back again so soon, unless it was so you could put on this little show," Summer reminds her.

"Ugh, I forget how irritating you can be with that whole "nothing fazes me anymore" deal," Leona sulks, shrinking back down to her Cheshire cat girl/Hunter form. "But the answer is delivering these," she says as she holds out three red gemstones, carved to resemble a small flame with a heart at the base, not unlike Yang's emblem.

"Fire Hearts? Who do you plan to give those to?" Summer demands. "Those things can be more dangerous to people who aren't ready for the responsibility than a loaded gun can be to someone without any idea which way the bullets come out."

"Well, for starters," she grins, spinning and pressing one of the gems against Cinders chest.

"AHHH!" Cinder gasps in shock as the burning feeling envelops her, before being quickly subsumed by her other powers.

"A bit of added Control for you," Leona smirks. "You should be able to create constructs of fire now like Sable can with her semblance."

"And the others?" Summer asks, annoyed that this wasn't run past her first.

"The dragon, and the magnetic kitten," Leona grins.

"Yes, because Yang needs even more reasons to be egotistical and careless?" Summer scowls.

"Well, no," Leona admits. "That's why the boss set hers up to work with her Semblance. Instead of all fire power, all the time, she's only got it when she's got a charge built up. Giving her another option besides charging in fist first."

"Alright, that will help her start thinking before she acts, I hope," Summer says after a moment's thought.

"And as for the Kitten, well, he thought it would be fun to turn her into a real hellcat," Leona grins as she says it.

"Your idea I expect," Summer snorts, thinking it will be a good fit for Purrha.

"Yup," her grins widens as she imagines some of the mischief that could occur from this. "It will also make her fireproof, which isn't necessarily a bad thing with a new Phoenix around that has already bit it once by accident."

"And you wonder why I don't like you," Cinder scowls.

"Awe, you'll hurt my feelings talking like that!" Leona pouts.

Very unconvincingly.

"Right," Emerald snorts.

"Anyway, off to finish my deliveries! Ta!" she laughs as she breezes out the door.

"Anyway, since it seems the explosion was result of a Phoenix resurrection, you are off the hook this time," Summer admits. "HOWEVER, it's my personal opinion that the two of you have entirely too much freedom given your status. So expect to have a lot more on your plate in the menial duties department, as well as more...strident downtime rules."

"Fun," Emerald scowls.

"You're prisoners and slaves," Summer needlessly reminds her. "You aren't supposed to be having fun. you are supposed to be working off the debt you incurred with your crimes, and attempting to atone for them. If that isn't abundantly clear already, I can arrange for something a bit more...lasting...to happen to you, to help you remember. I may do so any way, as I just find you so disagreeable most of the time," Summer tells her, the cold look in her eyes belying her light tone.

"Um...No offence meant?" Emerald attempts to half-heartedly cover.

"Too little, too late," Summer says before closing the door, all trace of friendliness gone.

"Crap," Emerald whines as she flops back down onto her bed.

"I'd say that's a pretty accurate description of what you've gotten us into with her," Cinder nods, looking less than pleased. "And a fairly deep pile of it at that."

"Sorry...I Just...sorry," Emerald says again, after failing to find some way to explain herself.

"I'm sorry you got pulled into my punishment, but you need to stop making it worse for yourself," Cinder tells her sternly. "If nothing else, just learn when to shut the hell up, and stop pissing everyone off."

"Right, since I've even managed to get you against me now," Emerald sighs, turning over to bury her face in her pillow.

"When did you get your sigil tattooed on your back?" Cinder asks, having just noticed, since Emerald usually follows her.

"I don't have a tattoo," Emeralds muffled voice can still be made out.

"The evidence says otherwise," Cinder says as she uses the Scroll they are allowed to share to take a picture and present it to her.

"What the Dust?" Emerald snarls as she grabs the device.

"Oh, just a little something I added to the spirit bonding," they both suddenly hear in their heads. "All of you that have some emblem for yourselves will now have a tattoo of it in the place you normally wear it...well, except the bunny, hers is a lot smaller than the one she wears on her armor."

"Who's that?" Emerald asks, freaked out by the strange voice.

"No idea, but he seems to have powers at least on par with that damn cat," Cinder returns, also looking around. "Which means it's yet another person you should try very hard to not irritate."

"Right," Emerald deadpans, before flopping back down. "This sucks."

* * *

After finishing her self appointed rounds, Summer searches out her Raven, unsurprised to find her by herself on the upper hull.

"I need you to take me to the Tower," she says.

"You hate going to the Tower as much as, if not more than, I do," Raven says, staring at her through the eye slits of her helmet.

"More," Summer agrees. "But we need something, and the only way to get it, is to go to the top and ask for it."

"You know what's going to happen as soon as we set foot in there," Raven continues to stall.

"You act like neither of us have been in there before," Summer smirks. "You just don't want to go because it makes you feel guilty."

"It's not that," she mutters, glad for her helm hiding her flushed face. "I don't like the fact that I lose the freedom to jump out whenever I want."

"Or the fact that you love every second of the time you're in there," Summer continues to smirk.

"I'm not going to be able to talk you out of this, am I?" she asks in desperation.

"Nope. We need a new home here, and I've got a good plan for how to set it up," Summer grins at the prospect. "So make with that black flame of yours and get us there."

"Slave driver," Raven grumbles, knowing that she's going to be unable to complain for a few hours at the very least.

"That could be arraigned if you really want," Summer laughs as the pair vanish into the Black Firebird.


End file.
